Irresistible Strawberry
by MaraSeti05
Summary: Ichigo finds himself in a new school, among new people, who all seem to have taken a particular interest in him. Coming from a troubled past, Ichigo just wants to be left alone. His new classmates have other ideas. Warnings: AU, yaoi, angst
1. Wake Up

Irresistible Strawberry

Chapter 1

A/N: In which Ichigo doesn't want to get up for school, Tatsuki does a bit of talking, and Isshin thinks, a lot.

Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine.

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_Damn. School starts today._

Ichigo Kurosaki was not a morning person, nor was he much of a school person. In combination, he found them unbearable. With a groan, he had every intention of rolling back under the covers and pretending he had never woken up in the first place. A perfect plan, if not for one thing…

SLAM ICHIGO!!! Wakey wakey! STOMP STOMP STOMP "Get your lazy ass outta bed now!" THUD And thus Ichigo found himself unceremoniously dumped onto his bedroom floor, by his obnoxiously loud and annoying father who seemed to find perverted pleasure in tormenting his only son.

_It's too damn early for this. _With a grunt, Ichigo hauled himself to his feet and with a grimace of annoyance, managed to grab a hold of his still blabbering father and toss him out of his room. He allowed himself a small self satisfied smirk when he heard the resulting impact of a body hitting the hallway wall. _Serves the bastard right, too early in the morning for this kind of shit. Maybe he'll stay quiet for a while now at least. _

"Ichigo, you'll be late for your first day of school! Hurry up son! Breakfast will be waiting downstairs!" _Or maybe not…_ With another sigh, Ichigo resignedly began to get ready for his first day at a new school. _What a pain._

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Downstairs Isshin was preparing a hearty breakfast, humming happily under his breath as he hurried around the kitchen. He knew his son wasn't looking forward to his new school, and had never been that interested in school that much to begin with. While his son was more than able to take care of himself, he was not overly social, making few friends and remaining distant from all others most of the time. It wasn't that his son wasn't liked; on the contrary, he had it from one of Ichigo's few friends that he was in fact quite popular, it was just that Ichigo didn't seem to care and made little effort to interact with others.

With a sigh, Isshin began to chop up some green onions as he contemplated the rather anti-social nature of his son. It hadn't been easy for Ichigo these last few years, in fact it had been a difficult time for both of them, but even more so for the orange-haired teen. With the death of his beloved Masaki, Ichigo's mother, about 5 years ago, the Kurosaki family had never quite been the same. Her death greatly affected their young son especially, who had been much closer to his mother than his father at that time. After her death, the smiles that had come so readily to their son's faced just seemed to disappear.

The family gradually resumed their normal pace of life, but with Masaki gone, it seemed like his children matured so much more quickly. Yuzu took over household chores, always making sure things ran smoothly, and always worrying over her big brother. She was rather quiet, and tended to fuss over Ichigo, whom she was very fond of. If Yuzu was smile and sunshine, then Karin was all balls and sass. She was cynical and rather sarcastic, blunt and authoritative, and while she acted like a rough and rowdy tomboy most of the time, she had just a big a soft spot for her big brother. Isshin really believed that it was through their influences that Ichigo managed to pull through their mother's death; which was why their untimely deaths were another critical strike to the already struggling and fragile Ichigo.

Moving on to the bacon, Isshin thought back to their deaths. His precious Masaki had died in a car crash, and while unexpected and tragic, it was something that Isshin could eventually reconcile. Losing his two daughters in another such accident was almost too much. Fate was really cruel, to take so much from him, from Ichigo. His son wasn't the same after their deaths, not that he could expect anything different. To lose so much, it would devastate anyone.

Ichigo became much more reserved, withdrawn, and tended to keep to himself, socializing with people as infrequently as possible. However, he did begin to pick up street fighting; his son fought and brawled often, this Isshin knew; bloody knuckles, split lip, cuts and bruises, the telltale signs were all there. It seemed that it was the one way Ichigo found to deal with his pain and frustration; he just lost himself in the fighting, and in the process, got to be very good at it—the fighting that is, for pain such as Ichigo's wasn't easily forgotten.

Turning his attention to the eggs, Isshin began to doubt the wisdom of his latest decision. Seireitei was an all boy's school, well reputed and highly recommended. What really had piqued his interest though was their reputation for having the best dueling club in the whole nation. At first he had been a little skeptical, having not known much about dueling clubs, but doing a little research indicated that it would be an activity his son would excel at. He thought it would be a chance for Ichigo to socialize, while doing something he was familiar with. Thus, he had packed up their belongings and moved to a new city, with a new school, looking towards what would hopefully be a brighter future.

In his concern for his son, he forgot that by uprooting them, he would also be severing Ichigo from his remaining attachments, mainly his friends, Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, Keigo Asano, and Mizuiro Kojima. He actually had Tatsuki to thank for putting him on the path to Seireitei; he remembered the conversation they had shared a few months ago:

_Isshin looked fondly at the young girl sitting before him. Tatsuki had always been close to Ichigo's heart, one of the few people who understood his son and in return, one of the few that Ichigo allowed close. She was currently fiddling absentmindedly with her teacup, and it was obvious that something was bothering the girl. He smiled inwardly and just continued to quietly sip his tea. He wasn't known for his restraint, but made a special effort in this case. Whatever it was must be important, and he thanked whatever power was out there that Ichigo and his other friends were currently upstairs working on a project, or else Tatsuki might never have come to him wanting to discuss whatever it was that was bothering her._

"_Have you ever heard of a school called Seireitei, Kurosaki-san?" Isshin started a bit at her voice, having lost himself in thought._

"_Seireitei? I have a friend who has spoken of that school…why do you ask? Thinking about changing schools eh, Tatsuki-chan?" This was said with a wink and a smile, while inwardly, Isshin was less than enthused. She was one of the few friends that Ichigo truly cared about, and he wasn't sure how his son would handle losing someone else close to him._

"_No no, Kurosaki-san, I have no interest in Seireitei…at least for myself. Actually, I am planning on changing schools, but not to Seireitei. I am planning to transfer to Rukongai." Tatsuki was now gazing at him squarely in the eyes, a very serious expression on her face. "I think that Ichigo would do well at Seireitei."_

"_Nani?!?!" Of all the things he might have imagined, this was something that took him completely by surprise. It was one thing that Tatsuki was considering changing schools, but suggesting that Ichigo change schools? Did she not know his son as well as he had thought? His thoughts must have shown on his face as she quickly rushed on with her explanation._

"_Hai. I think it might be best for Ichigo actually…you and I know that Ichigo only has us, a few people he calls friends. You wouldn't know it by how he acts, but Ichigo is actually very popular at our school, something I don't think he even realizes. He comes off distant, cold and even thuggish, but Ichigo is very caring and a kind person. No matter how much he tries to suppress those traits, they still shine through and many people are just drawn to him. However, I don't think that he will ever fully realize his potential if he stays at Karakura High. We are his buffer, and he uses us as shields against any outside influences. I think what he needs is a new start, a chance to meet new people, where he isn't always reminded of the past." Isshin was amazed. He had never heard Tatsuki sound so serious, and she sounded so mature and wise as she sat there discussing his son. He also had to admit that what she said was true. While Ichigo was a lot of attitude and rough manners, he was a very kind and compassionate young man at heart. _

_Nodding thoughtfully, Isshin leaned back in his chair. "Have you spoken to Ichigo or the others about this, Tatsuki-chan?"_

"…_hai," Tatsuki paused a bit here. "Well, I mean, Orihime-chan agrees with me, that it might be best for Ichigo, and that we are in a way holding him back. Mizuiro feels the same way, and we hadn't really bothered trying to bring it up with Keigo; you know how he gets. I think you might find you will have an easier time convincing Ichigo than you think—he probably would have eventually brought it up to you himself."_

"_Hmm. I see. Why do you suggest Seireitei?" Tatsuki didn't cease to amaze him, and he couldn't underestimate that Orihime either. That they cared this much about his son was not surprising, but taking such an initiative like this, it was a bit inspiring. _

"_Seireitei, like Rukongai, is a fighter's school. What I mean is, they are schools renowned for their dueling clubs, with an emphasis on fighting and a less than conventional curriculum. Seireitei is much more prestigious though, more respected but also more elite. I am planning to transfer to Rukongai because of the good things I have heard about their Kendo club, but I think that Ichigo would be able to make it into Seireitei…" At this point Tatsuki paused, looking a little worried. "It's just that, you need either money or a high up connection, or both, in order to really get accepted into Seireitei…" She was startled when Kurosaki-san began to laugh._

"_Don't you worry about that now Tatsuki-chan. As it so happens, my friend should be more than able to set things up; he has a real talent for meddling, and he already is established in a position there. Looks like it's time to give my friend Urahara a call. Thank you Tatsuki-chan." He smiled at the young dark haired girl across from him as she sat there gazing wide-eyed at him._

"_Urahara…? As in, __**the **__Kisuke Urahara?!?! The genius fighter, renowned scientist, brilliant strategist—that Urahara?" Tatsuki looked positively awed, stars practically shining in her eyes._

"_If you're referring to the same bothersome meddler, eccentric shop owner, easy going bum Urahara that I know, then yeah, that Urahara" This was said with a smirk at the shocked expression that crossed Tatsuki's face. "We've been friends for a long time, and I try not to feed that guy's ego any more than necessary. If there is one person who can get my son into that school, it's that ahou."_

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_At a small shop across town, a blond-haired striped-hat wearing man had sneezed._

_"Oi, Ururu, close the windows; think I might be getting a chill!"_

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Just setting down the plates for the meal, Isshin was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of his son's steps on the stairs. Ichigo stumbled in looking like he'd much rather be in bed sleeping, a surly frown plastered across brow.

"Good Morning Ichigo!!!" This earned him a dark glare from the orange-haired teen; his son really wasn't a morning person. "Eat up, eat up! Eggs, bacon, toast! The breakfast of champions; you'll want your strength for the first day of school! Ho ho ho!"

Ichigo continued to ignore his father as he simply dug into the large breakfast prepared for him. With a grin Isshin sat down to do the same. The table was silent for a while, as both parties simply enjoyed the taste of the food. It was broken when Ichigo mumbled around some bacon, "So why did I agree to this again?"

Isshin paused with a fork of eggs halfway to his mouth. Setting the fork back down, he intently studied his son, who had gone back to his meal as though he had never spoken. _'Ah, so that was it. Ichigo was worried. It wasn't unsurprising, for someone as withdrawn as Ichigo was, a new school was a daunting prospect.'_

"You discussed this with your friends, and while I know you always take into consideration their feelings, only you could have made the final decision about this. It's a new experience, no need to be so scared, you'll do fine! Ho ho ho!"

This earned him another glare as Ichigo snarled, "I am not scared!" With a huff his son pushed away from the table, and made to grab his plate before Isshin stopped him.

"Don't worry about the dishes, just finish getting ready for school. We'll leave in ten minutes," Ichigo paused to look at him. "What?"

"…Dad, don't you start work today? You'll be late if you drop me off. I am perfectly fine getting to school on my own." The last said was accompanied by yet another dark look.

"I want to."

His son looked a little taken aback by the simple statement, but after a studying his father for a few seconds, he nodded and headed back upstairs to his room. With a sigh, Isshin began clearing up the dishes. He would never admit it to Ichigo, but he was worried too. Tatsuki's warning from that same conversation came back to him:

_"Oh, one more thing Kurosaki-san," Isshin cocked his head as he waited for whatever else Tatsuki would throw at him. He didn't feel anything could surprise him at that point. "Do you know that Ichigo is bi?" Straight and to the point, he had been wrong, he could still be surprised._

_"Nani?!?!" At this Tatsuki began to look worried. "Gomen Tatsuki-chan, you just surprised me. I suppose I never gave it much thought, and I always thought that he and Orihime…" He paused as a mischievous smirk crossed Tatsuki's face. "Eh?"_

_"Yes, Orihime cares deeply for Ichigo, and she is equally important to him, but nothing like that."_

_"How do you know that?" Isshin was a little taken aback by her authoritative tone._

_"It's simple. Orihime and I have been together for about 2 years now."_

_For what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, Isshin was floored. He had never suspected such a relationship existed between the two girls. They were very close to be assured, but that they were… "Kurosaki-san?" He was brought out of his reverie at the worry in Tatsuki's voice._

_"Gomen Tatsuki-chan. This is all just a little surprising, but do not worry, it's not something that disturbs me. In fact, I am very happy for you two! Of course, Ichigo must have known about this a long time ago, oh ho ho, I am getting lax in my old age to have missed something like this." _

_"If I may though, may I ask why you bring this up now? When it comes to my son, whoever makes him happy is enough for me. Of course, I am curious as to how you know he is bi? I'd never noticed any indication he was into other guys." Tatsuki was looking a little sheepish now._

_"You remember that Kuchiki girl right?" Isshin nodded, he did recall the cute petite dark-haired girl. " Well, Ichigo and she grew very close, but a romantic relationship never came out of it because of Kuchiki's brother."_

_At this Isshin raised his eyebrow. "He didn't like Ichigo, and didn't want his sister dating my son?" He was surprised when Tatsuki giggled._

_"Not quite…Byakuya Kuchiki has a sister complex, no doubt about that, and at first, Ichigo and him couldn't really stand each other. However, over time…it seemed that the hate turned to something else, and well, things got complicated from there." Tatsuki giggled again at the expression of shock on his face._

_"Whoa. You mean, Byakuya he—my Ichigo—they—" Isshin couldn't finish that sentence. "So, what happened?"_

_"Nothing actually. Rukia—that's Byakuya's sister—and Ichigo remained close friends after the revelation, when it was apparent they didn't truly see other in that way, but I don't think Ichigo and Byakuya ever got a chance to explore a relationship. From what I understand, the Kuchiki's moved away shortly after, a new job location I believe."_

_"I see. To think that Kuchiki took an interest in my son…ho ho ho, this is too much!" Isshin began to laugh, almost falling off his chair as Tatsuki looked on apprehensively._

_"Ahahaha!!! Don't worry Tatsuki-chan, it's really nothing. It's just that, fate has a funny sense of humor. You see, Byakuya is actually a teacher at Seireitei…" Tatsuki's horrified expression was priceless._

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It explained a few things he supposed, and he truly did not care about Ichigo's sexual preference, as long as his son was happy. He debated about telling Ichigo about Kuchiki-san, but decided against it. What fun would that be? With a chuckle he finished up the clean up and grabbed his briefcase as he headed to the car to wait for Ichigo. His son was in for one interesting school year. There would be many questions, things that Isshin had never shared with Ichigo, and not for the first time he wondered if he had made the right decisions. As a parent he had to admit that he had made some selfish decisions in regards to Ichigo; he wanted his son to be able to have a normal life after all the tragedy he had already experienced, even though it meant that he would be keeping some pretty large secrets from his son. In the end he would deal with everything when it came up; there was no use worrying about what he couldn't change.

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A/N: First chapter complete! Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews always welcome!


	2. First Impressions

Irresistible Strawberry

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine.

A/N: In which Ichigo learns a little too much, makes new friends, and realizes his life was about to get turned upside down, again.

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The drive to the school was relatively silent, Ichigo gazing moodily out the car window, while his dad remained uncharacteristically behaved, not badgering or annoying him. He was still amazed at himself for having made the decision to transfer schools. Of course Tatsuki and Orihime had influenced him, but like his father had said, it had ultimately been his decision. At least he knew he had his friends support, and they had promised to keep in touch.

He would miss hanging out with Keigo and Mizuiro, but especially would he miss Orihime and Tatsuki, and with Tatsuki also transferring schools, he felt especially guilty when it came to Orihime. However, that girl was always smiling, never one who wished to cause worry or pain to others. She understood, even better than Tatsuki, what it was like to lose a loved one, as her only remaining family, her brother, passed away a couple of years ago from an incurable illness. Orihime hid her pain behind smiles and laughter, but Ichigo knew the kind of personal hell one could fall into after such a loss, and during that time after her brother's death, he did his best to be there for her, sharing in her pain, chasing away the loneliness. Sharing the burden helped to ease both of their pain, and they became even closer.

With Tatsuki leaving Karakura City too, Orihime would again be alone. Of course she would have Keigo and Mizuiro, but she had always been closest to him and Tatsuki. When he brought it up, she had just smiled her cheerful smile and told him not to worry; just because they wouldn't be at the same school, or even in the same city, didn't mean they wouldn't remain friends, and she could always visit him. He hadn't been convinced, and stated that maybe he didn't want to transfer after all.

Tatsuki's punch had knocked some sense into him, literally.

"_Man, you're as dense as ever Ichigo! Of course Orihime is going to miss you and doesn't want to see you go, but because she cares, she also wants the best for you, even if it means you leaving! Do you think I won't miss her, or even you for that matter? Sheesh, talk about thick-headed." Ichigo was at a loss for words, not only from Tatsuki's painful punch—she certainly hadn't held back—but because Orihime had come to kneel down by his side, her smile still in place, but a serious expression in her eyes._

"_Tatsuki-chan is right. Of course I don't want to see either of you leave, but I believe that what you are doing is the best thing, for both of you. I don't want to hold you back." When he made to speak she hushed him with a finger to his lips, "Don't worry, I am not as weak as that; I won't break just because you guys aren't around me like before. No matter how far you travel away from me, our friendship will remain, and I won't ever stop loving either of you. So Ichigo, believe in me. Believe in our friendship."_

Ichigo smiled at the memory. Orihime always seemed to know what to say, and how to reassure him when he wasn't sure of himself. The farewell party the five of them had shared was a memory he would hold close, to keep him going when things got rough. He could at least expect a call from each of them within the week, as Tatsuki started at Rukongai and Orihime and the others resumed class at Karakura High.

"Oi, what are you smiling about boy?" Ichigo was rudely snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of his father's voice; he had almost forgotten where he was, so lost in his memories he stopped paying attention to his surroundings. "It's nothing" was his muttered response. His father only looked at him, then stated that they were almost to the entrance of the school, and thankfully left it at that. Ichigo turned his attention to his surroundings and sucked in his breath as he tried to absorb what he was seeing.

Seireitei was _HUGE._ It had a traditional look about the campus, with old fashioned buildings that were impeccably well maintained, sprawling lush green lawns, artfully done landscaping, and pathways that looked to be paved in marble. The place screamed money and with a grimace he quickly turned on his father.

"THIS is Seireitei??? I am going to school here? How? What is going on? This can't be right! Tell me old man, what the hell is going on!!!" Ichigo was fuming, and he knew something must be up. There was no way his father could afford sending him to someplace this expensive; it just screamed elite and prestige.

His father's attempt to look innocent only increased his suspicion. He gritted his teeth as he waited for some kind of explanation, and his father seemed to sense that he wasn't going to get out of the situation with any kind of bold faced lie.

"Okay okay, calm down. It wasn't hard really, just a favor from an old friend, who was more than happy to comply with my request. You remember him, he was fond of you and you two seemed to get along pretty well. So no worries, everything is taken care of." Isshin seemed like he wanted to leave it at that, but Ichigo wasn't having any of it, "Who?" There was a lot of menace accompanying the word.

"Eheheh…oh you know, just a friend…you remember Kisuke Urahara right?"

"NANI?!?! That PERVERT?!?!" Ichigo really wished he hadn't woken up that morning.

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"Achoo!"

"Catching a cold, Urahara-san?" The man in question jovially waved off the concern, leaning back in his chair with a grin on his face.

"Don't worry about me Ururu-chan, it's nothing really. Someone is no doubt talking about me, that's all. Don't mention anything to Yoruichi will ya, you know how she gets."

Ururu just nodded. "Yoruichi-san isn't that bad you know. She thinks you don't take good enough care of yourself."

"I've just been a little busy lately, but if she thinks I am overworking myself, she'll stay on my case until I see things her way. She can be such a tyrant that woman. Then there's Soifon, and anything that upsets Yoruichi becomes her business. Talk about scary women." Ururu just smiled mildly at this. "Of course Urahara-san."

"Thanks Ururu." Stretching, Kisuke Urahara glanced at the clock. "Damn, that late already? Sorry, time to go. I have some things to take care of today."

"Hai. We should be busy now that school is starting again. I wonder if anyone suspects your involvement Urahara-san, after all, I don't think they would approve if they knew you were one of their biggest suppliers…"

"You worry too much Ururu. I've got everything under control…for the most part." With a nod and chuckle, the blond haired man was heading out the door, grabbing his patented green and white striped hat off the table as he left.

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"Have a good day at school Ichigo!" A grunt was the only reply Ichigo gave as he reluctantly got out of the car. Shrugging his backpack higher onto his shoulder, he gave his father a curt nod of farewell, then turned towards the entrance of his new school. He could name a dozen places he would like to be at the moment, and where he currently was didn't make it onto the list. Stifling a groan, he decided there was no use delaying the inevitable and began the trek towards the main doors. The school grounds were relatively deserted, and he glimpsed only a few other students about as he made his way towards the large double doors of the office building.

The interior of the main office building was more breathtaking than the elegance of its exterior. Everything screamed expensive, and Ichigo felt apprehensive as he waited at the front desk to be helped. Thankfully there weren't many people about; his father had gotten him to school early so he could sort things out if needed, for which Ichigo was immensely thankful.

It wasn't too long before a rather well endowed woman emerged from an adjacent office. She was rather attractive Ichigo mused; a red head like him, she wore her hair down and was dressed rather casually in a short navy skirt and white button up blouse covered by a yellow sweater. What was really striking about her was that she was very well endowed in the chest area—_She's got a bigger chest than Orihime_, _and that's saying something_. Giving himself a mental shake, Ichigo focused his attention back on the woman as she sat down behind the desk and began typing away on her computer without giving him much more than a glance. After a few more moments of pointed ignorance, Ichigo began to get annoyed.

"Excuse me miss—"

"It's Matsumoto Rangiku hon, but you can call me Rangiku. Sorry, I'll be with you in a moment; I just have some clean-up to do. My friend Gin thinks it is funny to spam my email and invoice with lewd advertisements. My superior finds it less than amusing though."

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After a few more seconds of furious typing, the woman—Rangiku—finally turned her gaze from her computer screen to focus on the teen before her. _Nice. _The boy standing in front of her was definitely eye catching, though he could do to lose the dark scowl that was currently gracing his features. _My my my, this one is surely going to have his work cut out for him; he'll have to beat them off with a bat, oho ho ho._

She could tell the teen before her was becoming a little nervous at her continued scrutiny, more so when she unconsciously let out a little too maniacal of a giggle. _Oops, guess I let my thoughts slip out a little too much_. Cutting his eyes away from her, she observed as he uncomfortably shifted his weight; then got annoyed and turned back to her with an even darker scowl. "What is your problem onna?" There was a definite bite to the question.

Rangiku's smile got a little wider. She liked this boy; he had the complete package, with not only the good looks, but a complementing attitude to add spice. People did often say red heads had bite, and this one seemed to be more than willing to show his fangs. Of course, he really wasn't her type romantically speaking, but she would bet he would make for interesting company. This one would be fun to tease, a student she wouldn't mind seeing more of.

"Alright hon, state your name and business, I don't have all day to waste on kids like you, cute as you may be." This statement earned her glare that should have left her bleeding. Unfazed by the angry aura that he was now emanating, Rangiku merely propped her chin on her hand, quirking a brow as she waited for the explosion. She was a little surprised when after what looked to be an internal struggle, he managed to get his anger under control, enough that there was only an edge accompanying his response and nothing else to indicate his annoyance.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. I am a transfer student. I am here to sort out anything that needs sorting." This one obviously had experience dealing with the opposite sex. Not only had he managed to grit out his response in a fairly decent manner, considering his obvious agitation at the moment, but he was not ogling her chest as a majority of the male population was often found doing. Of course, his preference could merely swing in the other direction…which opened up a whole different set of possibilities. If that was the case, the poor boy would have to watch his back, literally. Rangiku couldn't help as another evil chuckle escaped past her lips.

Taking a little pity on the poor boy, who had become even more wary after her second slip, she quickly typed his name into the system, waiting for his records to come up. Nodding, she addressed him in a more professional manner that her previous banter had lacked.

"Kurosaki Ichigo: Second Year, transferring from Karakura High. All your records and information seem to be in order, so it is just a matter of your orientation. If you will have a seat, I will inform the Commander that you are here, and he will see you shortly." With a nod of dismissal, she was about to dial into the Commander's office, but paused, a little surprised when he remained standing in front of her desk. "Yes Kurosaki-kun?"

The little nickname didn't even faze him, which strengthened her belief that he had plenty of experience handling teenage girls. His question was a bit of a surprise.

"Commander? What kind of title is that? Is that the same as a Principle?"

Rangiku was taken aback. Did Kurosaki-kun really not know about the ranking system of the school, or the less than conventional curriculum? If that was the case, he really didn't know what he was getting into. From his blank expression, she guessed that she was right on the mark. In that case, she could bet it would be an interesting year for the boy.

"Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai is the head of this school, the highest ranked individual, and thus considered the strongest of anyone here. You may address him as Yamamoto-san or Yamamoto-sama when you speak to him though. His will is absolute, so it is best not to cross him. He is strict, but usually fair, and always knows what is going on; not much escapes his notice. Does that answer your question Kurosaki-kun?" She smirked at his incredulous expression, he seemed more skeptical than awed by her explanation; this boy would be worth keeping tabs on.

Once he seated himself in one of the lounging couches, she made her way down another back hallway, stopping in front of a plain office door, with a simple plaque that read 'Commander' placed in its center. Knocking twice, she waited for the permission to enter, smoothing down her outfit before stepping through.

With a formal bow to the man sitting behind the expensive oak desk, she quickly delivered her initial report, but took a little extra time to fill in some of the particular details about the new student, especially his seeming lack of knowledge about their school. The man behind the desk listened patiently, and after her report was done, casually dismissed her with a nod of his head.

Upon returning to the main office waiting area, she was amused to find the new boy casually leaning back in his seat, eyes closed and listening to music from his earphones. His agitation seemed to have left him, and he looked like he could care less about the meeting with the head of the school. He really was an amusing individual.

Striding over to where he sat, Rangiku gave him a pointed tap on the shoulder. He merely opened one eye and waited for her to speak. _Impertinent boy_. Nodding her head towards the hallway she had come from, she merely said, "The Commander is ready to see you now."

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Waiting was not one of Ichigo's strong points, and he always preferred to act first and think later. His little 'chat' with the busty red head had left him a little on edge, but after spending so much time around volatile women for most of his life, her teasing hadn't affected him as much as it might have. Pulling out his ear phones from his back pack, he leaned back in the comfortable couch as he contemplated what the woman had said.

This school was sounding more and more like some crazy military academy, with rankings and a strange curriculum that he still had no clue about. His father hadn't shared much, just that the school would be good for him and had a very good reputation. He was getting the impression that there was something he was missing, and that he had better watch himself. Maybe he should have just stayed in Karakura Town after all.

A tap on his shoulder had him opening one eye, to see the red headed woman hovering over him. "The Commander is ready to see you now," had him walking down a long hallway and stopping in front of a non-descript door that had 'Commander' on a plaque at its center. Knocking once, he waited for permission to enter.

_She wasn't kidding_. The man sitting behind the large oak desk certainly fit the description the woman at the front desk had given. He practically radiated power and confidence, an aura of command that was almost intimidating; that he was an older man much past his prime did nothing to lessen the effect. Ichigo knew that this was someone he didn't want to cross without good reason. Feeling a little more nervous than before, he slowly took a seat when indicated, not so sure anymore about how he should proceed.

"Kurosaki Ichigo is it? Welcome to Seireitei High, we are happy to receive you." Even his voice was filled with authority. Ichigo decided he couldn't let his guard down around this man.

"I am Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genrysūai, but Yamamoto is fine. You come highly recommended by Urahara-san, and you are the son of Kurosaki Isshin, so I expect good things of you." This statement took him a little by surprise. Ichigo knew that Urahara had a hand in getting him into this school, but that this man also knew his father…now he knew that he was definitely missing something.

"You know my father Yamamoto-san?"

It was Yamamoto's turn to look surprised, though only a slight shift in his facial expression revealed it. "Your father, while never having attended the school himself, was highly respected by many here. He was an impressive fighter himself long ago, and it was such a pity that he had never attended here in his youth. No, he always did seem to prefer to stay in Karakura, especially after marrying your mother. It was a pity that he wouldn't accept my offer to teach here."

Ichigo was speechless. This revelation about his father was stunning. His father had never mentioned Seireitei to him before recently, or even that he had even had a fighting career and reputation in his past. Then again, so much had changed since his mother's death, and then the loss of Yuzu and Karin, that he supposed it wasn't terribly surprising that his father's past had never really come up. Still, it was almost too much to take in. His father definitely had some explaining to do when he saw him next.

When it was apparent that Ichigo wasn't about to say anything more, Commander Yamamoto continued. "Rangiku-san informs me that you are for the most part ignorant of this school's regime and history. It seems she is correct, and so I will be assigning you a partner for your first week here; this individual will guide you and instruct you on the protocols and expectations of this institution. Do nothing to compromise the integrity of this establishment. You will also be expected to attend the try outs for the dueling club. While mainly optional for most students, you come with high recommendations, and it would not be acceptable if your talents were to go to waste. That is all for now, I will look forward to seeing your progress, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo wasn't aware of leaving the office, but suddenly found himself outside a closed door, staring blankly at the opposite wall. Yamamoto-san was certainly an intimidating figure, though his little 'welcoming' speech had brought out the more rebellious side of Ichigo's nature. He disliked high-handed people, authority figure or not, but for now, he would at least try to behave himself.

OoOoOoOoO

Rangiku was playing solitaire on her computer when Ichigo made it back to the front desk, and losing badly from what it looked like. After his meeting with the Commander, Ichigo was less apprehensive about the red head behind the desk. While teasing and a bit annoying, he got the feeling that she would be useful to have on his side.

"Excuse me Rangiku-san, but apparently I am incapable of making my way around school on my own, and have been assigned a babysitter. You wouldn't happen to have any idea how that happened?" He wasn't disappointed when all she did was grin at her computer screen, not bothering to turn her attention away from her card game.

"Like I said Kurosaki-kun, you can call me Rangiku. You should really be thanking me; this is for your benefit you know. I even recommended someone who won't try to jump your bones." There was a definite smirk in her tone, but it was what she said that had him on edge.

"Nani?!?!"

"Oops, did I say too much? Oh dear, I'm sorry." She didn't sound sorry at all, and Ichigo could feel a headache coming on. He was getting the feeling that everyone was in on a joke concerning him, and it was pissing him off. What he wanted were some goddamn answers, but so far, all he seemed to end up with were more questions. Some of his frustration must have become apparent, as Rangiku fully turned away from her computer, to fix her attention on him wearing a more earnest expression.

"Look sweetie, you have to realize an important fact. You are attending an all _boys' _school, and you are one fine irresistible little strawberry. You're not my type, so I'm helping you out as an impartial party here. Don't be surprised if you find people taking an interest in you, you're obviously worth the time it would take to get to know you. Also, don't be afraid to display some of that temper I glimpsed earlier; strength and confidence are an asset at this school and highly respected. You're an interesting person Kurosaki-kun, even if you don't realize it."

Coming from a woman he had barely met, Ichigo found himself again speechless, which for him, was not a usual occurrence. That her words were spoken in honesty, and her concern seemed genuine, helped ease some of his discomfiture at her observations. Orihime and Tatsuki had always seemed to have an uncanny knack for reading him, and that this Rangiku could do so after so little exposure to him was a little scary; maybe it was a female thing, after all, Rukia too had been very good at it, even though they had only known each other for a short time.

Not knowing exactly how to respond, Ichigo decided that honesty deserved honesty.

"Arigatou Rangiku. You should call me Ichigo then. I appreciate your advice. I will be on my guard. Admittedly, this comes as a little bit of a surprise. I don't see what is so special about me to attract such attention, but I will be more cautious. It would be nice if we could speak like this in the future." This earned him a more genuine smile, filled with affectionate warmth. "Oh, and for the record, I am not little, nor am I a strawberry."

Rangiku rewarded his last statements with a laugh and smile, "Stop by my desk anytime Ichigo-kun, I look forward to talking with you. You had best be going though, classes will be starting in about twenty minutes, and you will probably want a quick tour of the campus before then. Your guide should be waiting for you outside the main doors; I arranged for it while you were speaking with Commander Yamamoto-sama. Go on now, I have important things to do here." Ichigo responded with a snort to that. Grabbing his bag from under the couch where he had left it, Ichigo gave a last wave to Rangiku before heading towards the doors. At least he now had one friendly face here.

Stepping outside, Ichigo noticed a definite increase in student body activity. The grounds were now full of bustling students, either making their way between buildings or chatting in groups along the sidewalk and grass. He became absorbed in taking in the flurry before him, so when a timid sounding voice addressed him from behind, he gave a small jump of surprise, whirling around to face the speaker.

Standing before him was a rather petite dark-haired boy, with bangs framing a face that was rather non-descript; he had large drooping eyes, and wore the expression of a kicked puppy. From what Ichigo had been hearing about this school, this boy did not look like he could hold his own in a fight.

OoOoOoOoO

Hanatarō was becoming decidedly nervous as the tough looking red head continued to stare at him. Knowing his luck, this new student was already sizing him up, and from the silence on the other boy's end, found him lacking. He really wasn't looking forward to getting bullied his first week by the new boy, but since he was used to such treatment, it was something he could expect.

He was startled from his thoughts at the sound of the other's boy voice.

"Oi! You got a name kid? I guess you would be the guide Rangiku was talking about, and I know what she was talking about now; you don't look capable of jumping anyone. Name's Kurosaki Ichigo, nice to meet you."

Hanatarō was a little surprised by the manner of speaking employed by the red head to the actual meaning of his words. The other boy was actually treating him decently, like an equal. There was no sneer or contempt in his voice when he addressed Hanatarō, which was a novelty experience for the smaller boy.

"Hey, are you even listening?" _Oops!_ He needed to stop spacing out, maybe that was why he always found himself in trouble more often than not.

"Hai hai, gomen! My name is Yamada Hanatarō, pleased to meet you Kurosaki-sempai. I will by your guide for your first week of school." A low bow accompanied the introduction.

Hanatarō was again surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Kurosaki-sempai frowning at him. He had a moment of panic, thinking he had done something to offend the larger boy, but the red head's next words completely left him reeling.

"Hey, don't do that. I can't stand things like that. All that groveling and shit, I don't need it. You want to talk to me, just speak to my face; I won't hit you unless you tick me off, and I don't go around hitting everyone who annoys me. You don't have to fear me hitting you, which is more than I can say about a lot of people here, especially if what Rangiku said was correct." Hanatarō just stood there gaping at the new boy.

_He is actually being nice to me; it almost sounds like an offer of protection. Then again, he doesn't know yet about the hierarchy of this school, so he is offering in ignorance. It would be nice to have a strong friend like him, but he will learn soon enough the truth so it would be better to have fill him in now, before he regrets having made that offer to me._

"It seems that you are on good terms with Matsumoto-sempai, and she informed me that the situation. However, you shouldn't say such things, especially as you don't seem to know much about this school.There are many strong fighters here, and as you have obviously noted, I am not among their numbers."

"About that Hanatarō, if you aren't a fighter, why are you going to this school? No offense, but it sounds like this place is pretty cutthroat, and you just don't seem very strong." This new boy just continued to surprise him. He wasn't offended by the other boy's words, and they seemed to be spoken in honesty, with no malice intended. Most of the students at Seireitei tended to ignore his existence all together when he wasn't getting bullied, but here he was actually carrying on a casual conversation with this boy Ichigo. Maybe he needed to visit the medical wing; this situation was a little unreal to him.

"You see Kurosaki-sempai, this school has specialized branches of study, and I happen to be a student enrolled in its medical program. We are known as the 4th Division, and the weakest in terms of combat ability; one of our duties is to heal the other divisions after combat. This is why we are looked down upon by all the combat branches of the school, and often picked on the most. It isn't good to associate with us in the 4th Division; the other divisions view us as weaklings." Hanatarō let his shoulders slump after his explanation. _Now he knows and won't want to have anything to do with me._

**THUMP **"Ow!"

Hanatarō wasn't expecting the thump to the head, but nor was he terribly surprised by it. He was used to such treatment. Ichigo's next words amazed him though.

"Baka. So what if you can't fight? Sounds to me that what you do is equally important. What would everyone do if they didn't have you medical students to fix them up after their fights? My friend Orihime is like you; she's pretty easy going and isn't too keen on fighting, so she turned her energy towards healing and supportive techniques to support me and her friend Tatsuki in our fighting. So tell you what, you let me do the fighting if it isn't your thing, you just have to patch me up afterwards." After his speech, Ichigo looked a little embarrassed, and quickly added, "I'm only saying this since you seem too weak to protect yourself, and you remind me of a friend. It works out for both of us, so don't take it too personally; it's not like I'm doing it just for you, I just don't approve of bullying."

This Ichigo was really something else. Hanatarō wasn't sure of what to make of the new boy, but in the end, decided to trust in the other's sincerity. _It will be interesting being friends with this Kurosaki boy._

"Arigatou Kurosaki-sempai."

OoOoOoOoO

"For the umpteenth time Hanatarō, call me Ichigo! Drop the sempai thing too, it's annoying." For all that the kid seemed nice enough, once he got over his fear; he was still a very timid person. Ichigo liked the guy, even after having only met him, but he had always been one to trust his instincts about people. If only Hanatarō would quit with the whole inferior to thou thing.

"Gomen Kurosaki-sempai." _Argh_. Then again, it seemed like one of those things he would just have to get used to if he was going to deal with the smaller boy. Once Hanatarō became more comfortable around him, Ichigo found that the kid could talk, _a lot._ He was almost as talkative as his friend Orihime when she got going about something.

Hanatarō was an avid tour guide, pointing out buildings of interest, filling Ichigo in on specific points about the school's history and protocols, chatting about specific teachers and mentioning things to watch out for. As Ichigo listened, he began to gain a better understanding of the school, but it still seemed a bit too surreal for him. Some of his lingering skepticism and confusion must have shown, as Hanatarō offered to get him a copy of their student manual, which included a more in-depth description of Seireitei's history, guidelines and procedures, detailed explanations about the various divisions and their area of study, and brief account of each of the instructors and various other staff members.

"Arigatou Hanatarō. Would you answer a few questions for me?" 

"Hai! Of course Kurosaki-sempai!" Ichigo was really going to have to do something about Hanatarō's name fixation; every time he heard 'Ichigo-sempai' he wanted to look around him to see who Hanatarō was speaking to. It was something he would just have to work on later, he had some questions that had been nagging at him that he wanted answered.

"How do I know what area I should go in? It seems like you guys are all pretty segregated, and that this school is based heavily on tradition and history, where most that come here already have a good idea about what division they plan to go into."

"Ah, don't worry about that Kurosaki-sempai. It is true that everyone here is part of a specific division depending on one's choice of particular interest, but everyone actually has a standard schedule, which mingles people from all divisions." At Ichigo's look of confusion, he hastily began to elaborate. "You see, while 4th division is the Medical branch, and the 12th is our Research and Resource division, everyone must take a basic course in each of the other's specialized area. This means that everyone has to take a basic first aid course and a scientific orientated lab class for example. So, while each student focuses on his or her specific division expertise, they must almost attend supplementary classes pertaining to the other division departments."

Hanatarō's explanation helped to ease a little of Ichigo's anxiety, but he was far from completely relaxed. There seemed to be a complex and delicate hierarchal system at the school that Ichigo still didn't quite understand, but it was something that he would have to watch his step about. Seireitei practically oozed money and influence, and from what he was coming to understand, history and family background played an important part in the power structure of the school. More and more he was beginning to question his decision to attend the place.

"What about this dueling club? Yamamoto-san mentioned something about it, and how I was expected to attend. He made it sound mandatory, though I still can't figure out what that bastard Urahara must have said to get the old man's expectations up…" Ichigo trailed off when he noticed that Hanatarō had stopped walking, and stood gazing at him in awed horror. "What is it?"

Hanatarō seemed to be struggling to formulate words. His mouth was moving and his eyes were the size of saucers, but nothing was coming out. Ichigo began to get a little worried when the boy continued to silently sputter. When Hanatarō finally managed to regain control of his vocal functions, Ichigo was surprised by the intensity of his response.

"You—you—I can't believe it!—You just referred to Yamamoto-sama as—as—an old man!!!" Hanatarō looked about ready to have another attack, so Ichigo was quick to interject.

"Look, sorry Hanatarō, I didn't mean any disrespect really, old habit. Can we just forget it for now; I will try to remember not to slip like that in the future." He released a sigh when Hanatarō just nodded, glad to have prevented another verbal outburst.

"In answer to your question Kurosaki-sempai, the dueling club is voluntary. It is highly competitive and very select. I do not believe they even accepted any new recruits into the club over the last couple of years. The club itself is pretty large, split into different divisions, corresponding to the divisions of the school, and ranked according to strength. These rankings are referred to as 'seats', where the lower the number indicates the higher the skill. I am part of the dueling club, ranked 7th seat in my division. Rangiku-san is the lieutenant, or 2nd seat, of her division. These seats then carry over into the normal divisions at school." _Rangiku was that strong? _She didn't seem like the type, but this school was far from normal, so he wasn't that surprised

"This means that the division you specialize in school carries over to the division you are placed in at the dueling club, and your seat in the dueling club is recognized by the division at the school. To be a part of the dueling club is the highest honor! That Yamamoto-sama decreed that you have to try out…that's amazing! You must be amazing Kurosaki-sempai! I can't believe Urahara-san even recommended you! I can't wait to see you in action!" There were now stars practically shining in the smaller boy's eyes, and Ichigo was feeling decidedly uncomfortable. _What was so special about that perverted shopkeeper's opinion anyway?_

"Try outs begin this Friday Kurosaki-sempai, so be sure to bring your Zanpakutō then!" He was brought up short again by the look of confusion that crossed the taller boy's face. "You don't have a Zanpakutō? Every one who attends here has one! How do you plan on competing in the dueling club?"

_Zanpakutō? What the hell is that…wait, I think my dad might have mentioned something like that when he was explaining about the school. What was it again…a special kind of sword I think? Damn, where the hell am I going to get a sword here? My last was broken after what was supposed to be a mock duel with that perverted shopkeeper. He promised me a new one, but it's been a couple of months now, the bastard's probably forgotten._

"Don't worry about it; I will come up with something. I have until the end of the week after all."

"You will need one for some of your classes as well Kurosaki-sempai, but if you speak with Yamamoto-sama, I bet he could work something out for you until you can get a Zanpakutō of your own! We had better get back to the office and get a copy of your schedule, class begins soon."

The matter resolved as far as Hanatarō was concerned, the smaller boy beckoned for Ichigo to follow him, heading back towards the main office where they had started. Ichigo obediently followed, not paying much attention to his surroundings as he found himself deep in thought.

OoOoOoOoO

If Ichigo was unaware of his surroundings as he was led around the campus, his fellow classmates were very much aware of his presence as it migrated around the grounds.

His bright red hair, tall stature, and masculine good looks were enough to draw the eyes of a good number of the students milling about the grounds. The presence of Hanatarō at his side declared him a new student, and that made him fair game. School had just become a much more dangerous place for the oblivious Strawberry.

OoOoOoOoO

The smile—which Ichigo thought resembled more closely that of an feline smirk—gracing Rangiku's face when he stepped back into the office set off warning bells in his head. "How was your tour Ichigo-kun? Enlightening I hope." The excessively sweet tone accompanying her question was enough to set Ichigo fully on alert.

Approaching the desk warily, he propped his arms on its edge and then rested his head on his crossed arms, gazing at Rangiku intently. When his silent stare down did nothing to wipe the smirk off the woman's face nor yield him any answers, Ichigo sighed, resigning himself to the loss in their battle of wills. _Damn, why are all the women I know so good at keeping things to themselves, especially when it is about me. I thought they were supposed to be notorious gossipers._

"We gossip plenty Ichigo-kun, but only with each other. What fun would it be if we told you men everything; nono, it is much more fun to see you all struggle, oho ho ho!" _Damn that female ESP ability as well. _"Okay fine, spill it Rangiku, what has got you in such a scarily happy mood?"

"I did warn you about the danger you were in, didn't I Ichigo-kun? I've already had multiple students wander in since you left, all inquiring about the intriguing new student wandering about campus. Looks like your popularity won't be an issue, in fact, you won't have to work for it at all! Oho ho ho!" Ichigo felt a sense of panic begin to grow in the pit of his stomach. He hated being the center of attention, and socializing was definitely not his strongest ability. It looked like any attempts at blending in would not be an option.

Wanting a few seconds to collect his thoughts, Ichigo just then noticed that Hanatarō was no longer standing by his side, was in fact no where in site.

"Oi, did you see where Hanatarō went Rangiku? I thought he came in here with us…"

It looked like Rangiku was about to answer when her attention shifted to something behind him. He heard the door close, but pointedly ignored it, until he noticed that the mischievous expression that settled over Rangiku's expression. That was his only warning sign before he felt another presence come up behind him, so close he could feel the heat from the other's body

If that wasn't enough to set his teeth on edge and bring his temper to the fore, the hand that quickly slipped under the front of his shirt while the other lightly cupped and stroked the front of his jeans, along with the male voice whispering close to his ear, "Hey newbie, why don't you let me give you a tour, it would be much more enjoyable than that squirt's" sent his anger over the edge. With his mind still reeling a bit from the shock at the audacity of the unknown assailant, his body reacted without conscious thought.

When his mind cleared enough for him to think coherently again, Ichigo became aware of his harsh breathing, and the laugher of two people. Rangiku was cackling gleefully from behind her desk, while a boy whom Ichigo had never seen before was chuckling amusedly at a prone body on the floor. The new boy had the most ridiculous eyebrow adornments Ichigo had ever seen; one was a two pronged red feather that extended vertically, the other a two pronged yellow feather that extended horizontally. He was rather effeminate, and Ichigo could swear that his skin gave off a shiny gleam. It was the figure rising to his feet that then captured Ichigo's attention and had his anger rising back to the surface.

OoOoOoOoO

_Damn, that guy sure knows how to pack a punch. _Ikkaku Madarame slowly picked himself off the floor where he had been laid flat, gingerly rubbing his sore jaw. Shooting a dirty look at his still laughing friend, he began dusting himself off when he became aware of the murderous aura that seemed specifically directed at him. Glancing up, his eyes settled on the still fuming red head.

_He looks even better up close, and with that body—oh the fun I could have with this boy._ His mind then took a turn down the perverted and it wasn't until a jab in his side had been focusing back to the situation at hand. His friend Yumichika was smirking amusedly at him. "Wipe the drool Ikkaku; I don't think that one appreciated your sneak attack."

Refusing to give in to his urge to swipe at his best friend, Ikkaku donned his most arrogant smirk and sauntered towards the mad looking strawberry—then walked right by to lean against Rangiku's desk. It amused him how the other boy had tensed at his approach, only a slight tightening of his body's posture to give away his agitation. The anger radiating from the boy as he deliberately ignored him only increased his amusement.

"Good morning Rangiku-san. I had overheard interesting rumors about a transfer student, and I am here to confirm them. Any personal information would be useful—you know, phone number, personal interests—" Ikkaku was cut off when he was spun around, two fists curled into the collar of his polo. He was transfixed by the chocolate orbs glaring angrily at him and at that moment he was sorely tempted to kiss the anger away from the other boy. A solid whack to the head had him turning towards the woman at the desk, an angry retort on the tip of his tongue.

"None of that Ikkaku, I will not have you molesting our newest student, at least any more than you have. Calm down that libido of yours and then get out of here, I don't have time to be cleaning bloodstains out of the carpet again." He was about to protest, but the dangerous gleam in Rangiku's eyes were enough warning to take the hint. She could be quite fearsome when she chose to be.

"Alright already, I'm going." Grinning lazily at the teen still holding him immobile by the collar, he made sure to lightly stroke the two hands restraining him as he made to release himself from the death grip. They were instantly withdrawn at his action as their owner looked like he had just been burned. Letting out a chuckle, Ikkaku motioned for Yumichika to follow and they both headed out the door, but not before he called out over his shoulder, "I'll be seeing more of you newbie. The name's Ikkaku Madarame, remember it!"

Once outside, Ikkaku lazily stretched his arms out over his head, trying to relieve some of the tension his impact to the floor had caused. His friend Yumichika just grinned at him, pulling a comb out of his back pocket to begin the meticulous grooming of his hair.

"So, what did you think of the new guy? The rumors didn't lie; I'd be more than happy to run into him in some secluded hallway, or the bathroom, or the parking lot…"

"Please, would you put that raging libido of yours to rest for just a few seconds? Sometimes you are just like an animal. Yes, the rumors about him were true, and he is rather attractive. I was more impressed by the way he laid you flat; some third seat you are. Rather embarrassing I would say, but he gets points for it; it isn't everyday I get to see you humbled before a rookie, and he didn't seem especially taken by your 'manly' charms, as you like to put them."

His friend was enjoying his humiliation a little too much. True, he hadn't expected such power from the violent response he had received, but thinking back, it had been worth it for a chance to feel up that delectable body. It didn't excuse the fact that he had let his guard down, but any hormonal teen wouldn't have been thinking clearly that close to the attractive red head.

"Whatever, I am sure to be seeing more of him in the future; I don't plan to let him have a choice in the matter."

"Dumbass, I bet you don't even know his name."

"…"

"Baka."

OoOoOoOoO

Ichigo was still fuming long after the other boys had left. He would remember that guy alright: shaven head, red highlights at the corners of his eyes, insufferable attitude; he was not high on Ichigo's list of people he wanted to see, and would make an effort to avoid him in the future. The guy had groped him, in front of everyone! Not that Rangiku seemed particularly disturbed by the whole affair, and was in fact still grinning at him from behind her desk.

Noting his dark scowl she only smiled wider.

"That was Ikkaku Madarame and his friend Yumichika Ayasegawa, both members of our 11th division, the combat division as it were. He is a 3rd seat, so it was pretty amusing to see you send him flying like that. You just seem to make friends wherever you go Ichigo-kun." Oh, if looks could kill…

Rangiku was spared from his scathing answer by the reappearance of Hanatarō, who was carrying a rather thick pamphlet and two slips of paper. Ichigo turned his full attention onto the unsuspecting medical student.

"Where the hell did you go?" Ichigo immediately felt a pang of guilt at the shocked looked on the other's boy face and his quick flinch at the anger in Ichigo's voice. It wasn't fair to take out his anger on the boy in front of him.

"Gomen Hanatarō, I didn't mean to yell at you." He noticed Rangiku giving him an approving nod from the corner of his eye. "What do you have there?"

"Ah, yes, um…this is the student manual I promised," He indicated the thick pamphlet in his hands. "These slips here are your schedule and your supply list. You have until Friday to take care of your supplies though, so no need to worry about them yet. I will accompany you to your first class, but from there you will have to rely on your other classmates. First and Second Years have different schedules, so I only have one class with you later in the day."

Nodding his thanks to the smaller boy, Ichigo gratefully took the materials off the other's hands. Flipping through the pamphlet he decided to look through it later that night, instead turning his attention to the sheet that held his schedule.

Kurosaki Ichigo

2nd Year, Division Undecided

Course:Instructor:

Social EtiquetteKyōraku Shunsui

Research and ExperimentationKurotsuchi Mayuri

Reconnaissance fundamentalsHitsugaya Tōshirō

Combative TrainingKenpachi Zaraki

Basic Medical TrainingUnohana Retsu

Kidō BasicsKuchiki Byakuya

Ichigo's was struck dumb by what he was seeing, and he blinked a few times, hoping to dispel the type printed on the sheet of paper in his hands. His silence seemed to worry Hanatarō, as he rushed to explain what he thought had captured Ichigo's attention.

"It may seem like a heavy course load Ichigo-sempai, but it actually very standard. All students take six courses minimum, three focusing on the specialization of the division, with the other three covering basic fundamentals of the other divisions. Since you are new, it looks like they gave you the basic courses for both the Second and First Years. It is not unreasonable for people to take up to the maximum allotted nine courses, as it is acceptable to take more advanced classes in a division not your own. Since non division classes are not everyday, it makes it easy to manage as well; plus, there are night classes in addition to the normal day. I am sure that once you determine your division, you may be pushed up to nine courses." Ichigo was barely listening as Hanatarō continued his explanations; his attention was fixated on a certain name on his sheet.

There was just no way, just no possible way, that the person he never wanted to see again, was just possibly, the last instructor he had for the day. When he was prodded by Hanatarō, he could only blankly state, "I don't understand." Hanatarō perceived him to be talking about his schedule, but his mind was one a different track entirely.

"Oh, it is simple really. You see, I am taking Social Etiquette withKyōraku-san, Reconnaissance fundamentals with Hitsugaya-san, and Basic Medical Training with Unohana-sama. However, I also have three courses specializing in the Medical branch, all taught by Unohana-sama. I wont be able to take Kidō with Kuchiki-san" Ichigo gave a little start at hearing the name, though Hanatarō didn't seem to notice, "until next year, but I can decide to take an additional course in Kyōraku-san's division or Hitsugaya-san's my Second Year, and then if I like Kidō, I can take a more advanced course offered by Kuchiki-san in my Third Year. Do you understand Ichigo-sempai?"

Ichigo really hadn't been paying that much attention to Hanatarō's explanation, but it seemed simple enough so he nodded. His course schedule was the least of his worries.

"Hanatarō…is there only one instructor for each branch of study?" The answer he received caused him to flinch.

"Hai! Of course, after all, all the instructors are the Captains of their division, the strongest, and the 1st seat!"

"I see. Thank you Hanatarō." The small medical student beamed at him, happy he had his sempai's approval. Rangiku was a little more perceptive, and had noticed a definite shift in Ichigo's behavior. She surprised the two boys when she abruptly stood up, placed a little sign that read 'Out, Come Back Later', and made to grab her jacket that had been tossed under her desk. At Ichigo's raised brow, she merely shrugged.

"Tell you what Hanatarō-kun, you go off to your first class, I will accompany Ichigo-kun to his." When it seemed like he would protest, she fixed him with a stern glare and he let out a small 'eep' before throwing them both a small bow and scampering out of the office.

"Come on Kurosaki, let's walk." Ichigo knew better than to argue, and followed her onto campus, which thankfully was practically deserted as classes had begun it seemed. Not quite understanding her seemingly random decision to leave her desk, Ichigo's concern must have been obvious because she gave him a reassuring smile while telling him it would be fine if she was away for a bit; there were no pressing issues for her to take care of and she wasn't the only office attendant._ Women and their damn ability to read minds, scary._

"Now Ichigo-kun, anything you want to talk about?" Silence was her only response, so bluntness became her next weapon.

"Okay, then how about this: How do you know Kuchiki Byakuya?" That got the desired effect as he abruptly stopped in his tracks, turning towards her with an expression of surprised disbelief, bordering on horror. At her expectant expression, he could think one thing, _oh shit._

OoOoOoOoO

_**At the Urahara Shop in Karakura Town:**_

A tinkling above the door had Urahara Kisuke sauntering out from the back of the store to investigate. He had been a little occupied in the back room, wrapping up a package that an old friend was coming over to collect. Expecting to his see his friend at the door, he was more than a little surprised when a full hot water bottle smacked him full in the face, knocking him backwards as a spray of water escaped from the bottle, raining down on his as he lay sprawled on his shop's floor. After a few seconds collecting his wits, he sat up slowly, catching the water bottle as it slipped over his face, and offering his unexpected visitor a cheeky grin in welcome.

"Soifon-chan! What a pleasant surprise! It is a pleasure to see—" His greeting was cut off as he found himself dangling about an inch off the ground, Soifon easily able to hold his weight in her current state of agitation.

"Do not refer to me as chan. Watch your health or Yoruichi-sama will worry. That is not acceptable, so you will make sure not to do anything to cause her undue stress. I have brought you a blanket, soup, and tea. Use them. I do not wish to have to repeat this conversation." With that she dropped him and turned on her heel. Before he had a chance to bid her farewell she was already gone, and he gave a rueful chuckle.

"Those special force spies of hers are good; to think I had just talked to Isane-chan this morning. Her concern for her master is so cute! Her _shunpo_ has improved too, so I will be sure to mention it to Yoruichi later. Oh look, she really did leave me a basket of goodies. I will have to thank her later." Humming, Urahara picked up the basket and headed back towards his back room. Setting down his load on his worktable, he carefully smoothed down the paper packaging of the only other item resting there. With a smirk, he turned away from the table and its contents, deciding to go make himself a cup of tea while he waited for his old friend.

A tinkling above the shop's door alerted him that another individual had entered his store, and walking out into the main section, he let a wide smile spread across his face, cheerfully greeting the man casually standing in the doorway.

"Isshin-san, it's been a long time."

OoOoOoOoO

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, it means so much to me! This is my first attempt at a story, so the fact that anyone actually enjoyed it makes me very happy! Sorry for the long chapter, and lengthy dialogue. More action to come in the next chapter!

Next Chapter: In which Ichigo hides in the bathroom, Zaraki is scary, and Byakuya makes his appearance.

Reviews Always Welcome!


	3. Overload

Irresistible Strawberry

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not Mine!

A/N: In which there is much more harassment of Ichigo, Rangiku knows something Renji doesn't, and Hanatarō doesn't get any story time

OoOoOo

Ichigo was hiding in the bathroom. That was the only explanation as to why he was currently sitting on the edge of the toilet seat, in a locked stall, with his head in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. Stifling the urge to let out a groan, lest he alert any of the students currently utilizing the restroom facilities, Ichigo settled for glaring heatedly at the floor. If the rest of his day was anything like his morning, he would be packed up and on a train back to Karakura before sun had a chance to rise.

OoOoOoO

Social Etiquette had turned out to be a rather uninspiring subject for Ichigo. The class was actually shared between two teachers, Kyōraku Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake. He was unfortunate enough to have been assigned to Kyōraku-san's class; from what he had observed from the man, he was an incorrigible womanizer who was constantly badgering his assistant, a stern and professionally behaved young woman he learned was named Ise Nanao. The lesson itself had been rather uninformative, focusing on rather superficial subjects and irrelevant topics of interest—mainly, Kyōraku-san spent most of the time talking about ways to pick up women, the pleasures of sake, how to relax oneself, and harassing "Nanao-chan" as he fondly called her, though she seemed less than amused by his endearment.

At least Ichigo didn't have to fear for his virtue from the flowery man, which he thought to be an apt description for the rather eccentric ladies' man. Kyōraku-san was dressed what Rangiku had explained to be the normal uniform of seated officers—a white _kosode_, a black kimono and hakama, a white obi sash, and a plain white haori. She also explained how the Captains were allowed to personalize their uniforms, and often did. Kyōraku's personal touch was evident in the gaudy pink flower printed haori he wore in place of the standard white on, with a ridiculous straw hat finishing off his ensemble. Ichigo didn't feel overly threatened by his rather flamboyantly dressed sensei; after a quick introduction, the man had given him a quick appraising look before indicating him to take a seat, his attention quickly focused back on the young woman stacking papers by his desk.

While he surmised his sensei wasn't a threat to him, Ichigo couldn't say the same thing about his fellow classmates. He had taken a moment to scan the classroom, looking for an open seat, and trying to ignore the many blatant stares directed _his_ way. Scanning the various faces, he was at least relieved to note that the two guys he had encountered earlier—baldy and eyebrow as he dubbed them since he had already forgotten their names—were not present. That fact did only a little to reassure him though; he did not appreciate the speculative looks he was receiving from a majority of the class. Trying to keep his discomfort and annoyance hidden, he slouched towards an open seat by the window in the back corner of the room, ignoring the whispers that seemed to hum around him like flies.

OoOoOoO

_**Flashback**_

Deciding there was nothing else to do while he waited for the lesson to begin, Ichigo rested his head on his desk, gazing out of the window with a bored expression on his face. He was sorely tempted to ignore the presence he felt come up the side of his desk, that was until he felt the surface he was lying on vibrate from the impact of a text book slamming down onto it. Feeling his irritation spike, he raised his head to glare at the offender and found himself staring at a boy with the loudest red hair he had ever seen. _People call __**me**__ a strawberry._

"Newbie! You're in my seat!" The guy with the flaming hair had a voice to match; loud and obnoxious. It silenced the low hum of conversation that had been a constant background noise in the classroom since Ichigo had arrived, as all the students present turned to the spectacle taking place by the window. "Did you hear me? YOU are in MY seat, so move it!"

A glance towards the front of the room confirmed that Kyōraku-san was still busy harassing Nanao-san, so Ichigo turned his full attention to the guy standing confidently by his desk. In addition to the flaming crimson hair, which the other boy kept in a high ponytail, there were elaborate tribal tattoos adorning his face and neck, and expensive looking sunglasses resting atop his head. The arrogant smirk on the other's guy face did nothing but irritate Ichigo further.

"Who the hell are you? For the record, I didn't see any name on this seat, so I you are full of shit, you loud mouthed tattooed bastard." A collective gasp went up at his response, and Ichigo braced himself for the other boy's reaction. Whatever Ichigo had been expecting, it wasn't for the other boy's grin to widen or for him to clap him on the shoulder while letting out an amused chuckle.

"I like you new kid, Ikkaku wasn't lying when he said you had spirit. Name's Abarai Renji, Lieutenant of the 6th Division." A hand was extended at the end of the introduction, and Ichigo hesitantly took it. Renji's grip was firm, his palm callused, and the latent strength indicated that this was not someone to take lightly

"So, you got a name or what? Or are you happy with newbie?"

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo."

OoOoOoO

_Kurosaki Ichigo huh?_ Renji studied the boy before him, and decided it was a good fit. He had run into Ikkaku and Yumichika earlier, with the bald 3rd seat of the 11th division rambling on about a delectable new student. Renji would have brushed off the other boy's infatuation as a result of his overactive libido, if the fiery haired Lieutenant hadn't been hearing similar rumors and speculations all morning. It had sparked his interest enough that he desired to meet the new boy himself; after all, Ikkaku had the curious tendency for falling for people of superior strength to his own.

_"Baldy, if he's as great as you say, I doubt he would have any interest in a weakling like you." That remark earned him a fierce glare from Ikkaku, while Yumichika tried to stifle his laugh, ending up coughing when Ikkaku turned his glare to his best friend. "So, what's this new kid look like?"_

_It seemed Ikkaku had taken his off-hand insult a little too personally, and with a rude gesture turned his back on the 6__th__ division Lieutenant, beckoning his just recovering friend to follow. Yumichika still had tears in the corner of his eyes from his laughing fit, attempting to wipe them away he gave Renji a small bow before chasing after the quickly retreating form of his friend. His cryptic "You'll know him when you see him" remark as he too sped off only served to irritate the crimson haired boy. __**Tch**_, _**whatever.**_

He hadn't been expecting to have the good fortune of running into the much rumored new student so soon, but the moment he had entered Kyōraku-san's room his eyes had been drawn to a mop of red hair slouched at a window. While no where near as vibrant as his own, the new boy's hair was definitely eye catching. The almost dejected aura around the other boy had Renji questioning Ikkaku's tastes.

With a brief nod at Kyōraku-san, he sauntered over to the desk where the strawberry was pointedly looking out the window. A quick glance around the room was proof enough of why; the whole class was either busy checking out the new student or whispering about him amongst themselves. He found it irritating, and it was no wonder this kid wanted nothing to do with anyone. However, Renji had no desire to just stare at the back of the kid's head, and had no reservations about directly approaching the rather taciturn teen.

His Kidō textbook slamming into the desk got him the desired effect as blazing eyes the color of chocolate turned to glare at him. He was taken aback by the fierce spirit that emanated out of them, and he had to admit that Ikkaku might have been on to something. His curiosity got the better of him and he found himself wanting to see more of the temper he caught but a glimpse of.

Renji's use of the cliché 'seat taken' trick didn't disappoint, and the other teen's biting response had him laughing out loud. For all his seemingly quiet nature, the strawberry had spunk, and Renji found himself with a genuine like of the boy. After introductions were exchanged, he plopped himself down in the desk next to Kurosaki and leaned back in his chair.

"So, tell me about yourself Kurosaki. All I've heard are speculations and detailed praises of your physique." This got a raised brow from the other teen before he shrugged and responded in the blunt manner Renji expected was closer to his normal behavior; his "ice prince" routine just didn't fit, especially when he knew of two others who personified it more perfectly, one in a literal sense.

"It's none of your business. What does it matter?" It was Renji's turn to lift a brow. It seemed it would take a little more effort to get this one to open up a bit, but unlike what many people believed, Renji could be very patient when he put his mind to it. It would be worth it to crack through the strawberry's defenses and discover his true character and potential.

"You know, I find I like you more and more, let's be—" Renji broke off when he noticed the dark look that flit across the other's face, almost too fast to catch, but the boy noticeably withdrew from him. He was puzzled for a few moments, at the abrupt change in the other boy's attitude. In the uncomfortable silence that descended between the two, the whispers that he had been tuning out suddenly caught at his attention, and sent off a light bulb in his head as he realized what his mistake had been.

It was obvious that all the unwanted attention had Kurosaki on edge and defensive, and without realizing what he had been implying, Renji had only added to the other boy's distress. Sometimes he wished he had his best friend's tact, she always seemed to know the right things to say. Scrubbing a hand down his face, he struggled with how he should remedy the situation.

"Look Kurosaki, don't take this the wrong way—you're not my type." The look of amused surprise followed by genuine smile had Renji releasing the tension he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Is that so? Who would have that ugly mug of yours anyway, if that hair wasn't enough to scare them away?" Oh, that was uncalled for—no one insulted his hair!

"No need to feel so rejected, just because I don't go for pathetic looking strawberries like you. My manly charms would be wasted on one such as you…although I know of someone who actually has a thing for strawberry heads like you." It was satisfying to see the indignant expression that crossed Kurosaki's face.

"I hope you don't mean that perverted Baldy."

"Ha, so I'm not the only one fond of that nickname. Of course, most are just too afraid to say anything. For all that this is a fighter's school, there are a lot of weaklings who attend just because of family connections or delusional aspirations. Actually, I wasn't thinking of Ikkaku, but someone else I know, whose sister left slip he had a thing for strawberries." That had been an interesting conversation, especially considering the man under discussion.

"Will you stop calling me a damn strawberry, you gangster wannabe tattooed freak?"

"Hey, is that any way to ask for something, you lousy newbie?!?!"

"Like I would ask _you_ for anything!!!"

"What did you say!?!"

By this time they were practically nose-to-nose, hands fisted in each other's collars. They weren't aware of the many stares being directed their way, but an exaggerated cough had them spinning to face the front of the room, where Kyōraku-san was casually leaning against his desk.

"If you two are ready, I'd like to start the class now." There was an amused note in his voice, and Ichigo and Renji still felt a faint blush of embarrassment steal over their faces. A quick bow to the class, followed by an apologetic "Gomen Sensei" and they were both seated back in their chairs. With a nod of approval, Kyōraku-san began the lesson.

"By the way, call me Ichigo."

"Renji is fine by me then; I was never fond of all those fancy honorifics. My captain is a stickler for those though. I'll introduce you to him later."

"Arigatou…Renji."

_**End Flashback**_

OoOoOoO

Ichigo could say he actually looked forward to getting to know the rather brazen Renji, and more so because the other boy was one of the few who wasn't interested in getting into his pants. Unfortunately, Renji hadn't had his next class with him, as he had taken Hitsugaya's course the year before and had no interest in furthering his studies in that department. He had offered to walk Ichigo to his next class, for which the other boy was grateful. It was also noticeable how the other teen's presence seemed to lessen the amount of stares and whispers that had been following him all day, for which he was also grateful.

They parted ways at Ichigo's classroom, Renji promising him he'd see him during their lunch break if not before, as all Second Years had it together. Once Renji was gone, with a visible effort, Ichigo prepared himself for whatever awaited him in his next class.

The first thing that had knocked him off balance was the physical appearance of his instructor. Hitsugaya Tōshirō looked like a very young boy, short in stature with childish features. His hair was an unusual shade of white and stuck up in all directions. Ichigo couldn't imagine how this diminutive looking creature could be an instructor, much less one of the acclaimed Captains.

Once Ichigo caught a glimpse into the other's eyes however, his whole perception changed. While Hitsugaya may have looked like a child, the knowledge and wisdom in those piercing blue eyes proclaimed him to be anything but. Like Kyōraku-san, he gave a quick appraisal of the teen standing in front of him. Instead of motioning for him to take a seat, he indicated that Ichigo should stand near his desk.

"My Lieutenant informed me that you might be experiencing some "difficulties" adjusting, so while you may not be a member of my own division, I offer you the protection of my position as 10th division Captain, until such a time when you are formally acknowledged into a specific division. I do not normally do this, but Rangiku seemed exceptionally worried, and this is the only way to ensure she will settle down enough to actually get her job done."

_This was Rangiku's superior?!?!_ Again Ichigo found himself unbalanced, and he had to resist the urge to pinch himself. The school was crazy, or why else would there be a twelve year old looking Captain with a robust Lieutenant whose more endowed assets were enough to incite naughty thoughts into the most virtuous of men, much less horny and hormonal teenage boys? It all seemed a little too much to take in.

"Excuse me, but if Rangiku is your Lieutenant, then why isn't she with you Hitsugaya-san?" If Hitsugaya was surprised by the lack of honorifics, he didn't show it.

"She once acted as my assistant in instructing, much like Nanao-san does for Shunsui-san, and Nemu-san for Mayuri-san. However, involving a certain incident a few years back where she complacently allowed a traitor to this school to escape, she was stripped of her instructing duties, and placed in a job as secretary as punishment. Rangiku hates paper work, and is in fact a horrible secretary, but Yamamoto-sama's decision is final."

Ichigo digested what he had just learned as he made his way to a vacant seat. He would really have to ask Rangiku about it later. He listened with half an ear as Hitsugaya began his lesson, and while it was a pretty fascinating lecture about reconnaissance and the importance of information gathering, he just wasn't in the mood to pay attention. He barely even noticed when a lumbering oaf tried to pick a fight with him, some oaf named Mayochiro1 or something like that. Hitsugaya quickly removed the problem, mentioning reporting the big fool to someone named Soifon; that had shut the idiot up.

Before he knew it, the lesson was concluding and the students were filing out of the room, the big idiot whose name he couldn't remember throwing him a glare on the way out. Ichigo made to follow but was stopped by a hand on his arm from Hitsugaya.

"Just so you may be better prepared, your next class is with Mayuri, be on your guard. His class is meant for Second Years, so you will encounter not only Ikkaku and Yumichika, but others whom you should watch yourself from—Hisagi Shūhei and Iba Tetsuzaemon being among them. I believe you will have Renji to support you, but it is best to keep your guard up."

Ichigo was speechless and completely dumbfounded to say the least, and it must have been quite obvious as Hitsugaya allowed a small smirk to lift the corner of his mouth.

"If you had been paying attention during my lesson, you would understand the importance of a little observation and analysis. I expect the next time I see you that your attention will be a little more focused. Dismissed Kurosaki."

OoOoOoO

Hitsugaya had been correct about his next class. The room was creepy enough, with a laboratory set up with workstations and standard equipment, but a feeling of unease seemed to permeate the air. Kurotsuchi Mayuri seemed to be a perverted and sadistic bastard himself, and Ichigo found he couldn't listen to the man as he rambled on about gruesome experimentation and sinister sounding research.

Kurotsuchi Mayuri even looked the part of demented scientist, with a skeletal appearance, disconcerting physical additions to his physique, and a high pitched grating voice. A few moments in his presence was enough to leave Ichigo with goose bumps. It wasn't his disturbing instructor that had him worried though; Mayuri was interested only in his research and experiments, Ichigo's classmates were more interested in him.

Not only did he have the annoying baldy breathing down his neck and trying to grope him constantly, but he seemed to have acquired a new admirer by the name of Hisagi Shūhei, one of the students he had been warned about from Hitsugaya. Then there was Iba Tetsuzaemon, an admirer of Ikkaku it seemed—whose name Ichigo could finally remember—that viewed Ichigo as an unwelcome rival.

Shūhei seemed like the opposite of Ikkaku in terms of personality. He was calm and level-headed, a contrast to the more hot tempered and impulsive shaven teen. His looks were a little rough, with a number 69 tattooed on one cheek while a scar consisting of three lines ran down his other, but Ichigo had to admit he was an attractive guy, scars or not. Unfortunately, any good impression Ichigo may have had vanished when he discovered that the guy was perverted as Ikkaku; the guy had literally pinned him against a table while feeling him up, before insincerely apologizing for "falling" into him.

If two perverts weren't enough, Iba seemed to have a fixation with Ikkaku, and the murderous aura that seemed directed at Ichigo sent chills down his spine. Yumichika, while neither hitting on him nor regarding him with malicious intentions, was annoying in his own way, constantly throwing thinly veiled insults at Ichigo's dress and looks. The fragile hold that Ichigo had managed to keep on his temper had almost frayed to the point of breaking when a new presence made its appearance.

"Oi, you lousy bastards, why don't you go practice your perverted antics somewhere else?!?!" A firm tug found Ichigo pulled across the room to another table, and a look to his side confirmed his rescuer to be none other than Renji. With a grateful sigh he plopped down onto the metal stool, folding his head onto his arms where they rested atop the lab workstation. The shouting match that ensued between Renji, Ikkaku and Shūhei had Ichigo desperately wishing for some ear plugs, and the occasional interjections by Yumichika and Iba did not help.

Mayuri seemed perfectly unperturbed by the lack of order in his classroom, intent on some project he was working on in the back of the room. Despite Renji's best efforts, even his curses and physical presence weren't enough to deter the persistent Ikkaku and Shūhei, and Ichigo's virtue was in serious danger of being violated. After countless minutes of arguing, groping, and discomfort, Ichigo couldn't take any more.

Fending off Ikkaku's wandering hands as best he could, he leaned towards Renji, who was currently involved in a stare-down with Shūhei, and tapped him on his shoulder. A cocking of the other's head in his direction let him know that he had his friend's attention, and he quickly whispered, "Thanks for your help Renji, but I think I am gonna get out of here for now. Find me at lunch." A nod was his response, and he was only too happy to shake off Ikkaku's intruding presence as he headed towards the back of the room where Mayuri was bustling about.

It took a few moments for Mayuri to even notice him and when the creepy man did, he only snapped an irritated "what?" before focusing his attention back on his work. Ichigo's request to use the restroom was waved approval, though he doubted the man had even heard him. It didn't matter though since Ichigo had permission to escape the classroom. A quick farewell wave to Renji and then he was dashing out into the hallway and away from the room, hoping to put enough distance between it and him before any of the crazy bastards decided to follow him. He had no desire to be caught by any of them.

OoOoOoO

Ichigo estimated that he had been sitting in the bathroom stall for at least twenty minutes, but he was in no hurry to leave its relative safety until absolutely necessary. Lunch was not going to be pleasant, especially if what Renji had said was true and all Second Years had it together. He was beginning to question the wisdom in his decision to transfer schools. Excluding Renji and Hanatarō, the majority of the student body seemed to have taken a peculiar interest in him for some reason, and while most were not as bold as Baldy or Mr. 69, it still left him feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

The sound of a chime sounding through the school alerted Ichigo that class was over and he would have to leave his hideout and brave the treacherous hallways once again. Trying to act as casual as possible, he kept furtively glancing about him, on the lookout for a head of shocking red hair or shiny bald head or marred facial features; the former he would welcome, but the latter two he would run from as fast as he could.

It was to his pleasant surprise when he bumped into a familiar face, one that he didn't have to fear molestation from.

"Rangiku, I didn't think I'd run into you here." It was indeed the busty red haired woman, carrying what looked to be a stack of black uniforms. A smile crossed her face when she realized who it was who she had collided into.

"Ichigo-kun, it's nice to see you too. Why don't you accompany me while I go drop these off, it won't take very long. Of course, if you would rather brave the cafeteria, then by all means, don't let me stop you." He swore the woman possessed psychic abilities sometimes and her knowing smile only deepened his suspicions. "Don't worry about Renji, I can just page him and let him know you are with me." _Damn, she was good._

"Arigatou Rangiku. So, where are you taking those outfits?"

"Oh, just to one of the Captains who acts as a coordinator of the dueling club. Then we can grab a quick lunch and dine in my office. My sources tell me you've had an interesting day so far and I'd like to hear about it." Ichigo was genuinely impressed, especially at the fact that she would go to such lengths to keep tabs on him; then again, she was in the same division as Hitsugaya who seemed to keep even more informed on everything.

"You seem to know everything, so what more is there for me to say?' This got a laugh out of the young woman, but was quickly replaced by a catty grin.

"Everything? Hardly. The Special Forces here are still the best when it comes to information gathering and espionage. After all, if I knew everything, I'd know what the deal is between you and Kuchiki-san." It seemed she hadn't forgotten about their earlier conversation after all.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_"How do you know Kuchiki Byakuya?"_

_How __**didn't**__ he know Byakuya was a more accurate question. Those striking good looks, silky soft dark hair, exceptionally toned body; the wet dream that was Kuchiki Byakuya was ingrained in his mind. He could still recall the way the other's cold gray eyes would soften on the rare occasions they were alone, especially during one of their late night walks, a favorite pastime of Byakuya. Or the way the other man would teasingly reprimand him after getting into one of his many fights, before kissing away the sting from his wounds. _

_With a disgusted snort at himself, Ichigo forcibly tore his thoughts away from the past. It was true that he had glimpsed a side of Byakuya that the other man rarely shared with anyone, and knew things about the other man that were not common knowledge, but it didn't change the fact that Kuchiki was an uptight pompous bastard._

_Ichigo knew Tatsuki and Orihime had assumed that nothing had occurred between the two of them, with the Kuchiki siblings leaving so abruptly after the "truth" had been revealed. The __**truth**__ was that Ichigo had been seeing Byakuya for about three months prior to their mutual attraction becoming public. Those had been some of the happiest months of Ichigo's life, but like everything else, it had come crashing down around him, another wound that wouldn't easily heal._

_He must have gotten too lost in his memories, for it took him a little too long to respond to the hand waving in front of his face. Rangiku's worried face swam into focus as he came out of his stroll down memory lane. Damn you Byakuya._

_"I know his sister." It wasn't a lie, but Rangiku appeared far from satisfied._

_" Uh-huh, is that so? You know the younger Kuchiki-san, which explains how you would know her older brother, since everyone is aware of their severe sibling complex, but you didn't look like a guy reminiscing about a casual acquaintance. You will have to do a lot better than that Ichigo-kun." By her expectant expression, he knew that getting out of this situation wasn't going to be easy, but he was damned if he was going to talk about something as private and painful as his past history with a guy who probably hadn't given him a second thought since then._

_"Fine, would you believe me if I told you I dated Rukia? Things got complicated concerning when her brother got involved, and we broke up. They moved away shortly after that. End of story." Ichigo wasn't lying, but it was a far cry from the whole truth. While he expected his revelation would elicit a strong response from the nosy Lieutenant, the girlish squeal she let out took him by surprise, and he had to grit his teeth when she doubled over and started pounding on his chest. _

_When she recovered enough to speak, which took a few minutes, she had gasped out a question that made no sense to him._

"_Does Renji know about this?"_

_He was officially lost. He had no idea what Renji had to do with anything he had been talking about, and the topic of the Kuchiki siblings, either of them, had never come up. At his bewildered look, Rangiku doubled over again, laughing so hard she cried. With an exasperated sigh he waited for her to finish, and helped her up once her laughter had subsided to hiccups. With an appraising look at him, she motioned him to follow her and Ichigo was just thankful the conversation was closed._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

OoOoOoO

Rangiku hadn't laughed so hard since she could remember. Ichigo's revelation that morning was the juiciest bit of information she had acquired in a long time. Oh, she knew that he was still hiding something; his truth that was also a lie couldn't fool her. It didn't matter though; she would get to the bottom of everything eventually.

She knew her response had puzzled the teen, but found it too amusing to enlighten him. What he had revealed concerned her fellow hot tempered Lieutenant very much, but Ichigo didn't have to know that, at least not yet. Suppressing a giggle as her thoughts drifted back to earlier that morning, she slanted a glance at her now sullen companion.

"I thought I made it clear earlier. There's nothing to talk about, and I have nothing else to say about Byakuya!" _Ah-hah, bingo!_

"Oh? I don't recall mentioning his name. I was merely curious about Rukia-san." His surprise was almost comical, and Rangiku couldn't help but let out a maniacally satisfied cackle in her head. Ichigo was really too much fun to tease. She wasn't so cruel as to drill him on what was an obviously sensitive matter though, especially after the rough day he seemed to be having. It didn't mean that she would let the subject drop completely, but would for the moment take a step back, and hopefully sometime in the future the strawberry would feel comfortable enough to open up to her on his own.

"Come on Kurosaki, let's drop these off and grab a quick bite. I don't share an office with anyone so it should allow you to catch your breath." She pretended not to notice his blatant relief and the way the tension drained from his body, instead purposefully striding off towards the training facilities. If she was lucky, Zaraki would be in a good mood and she could just deliver the uniforms and make a quick getaway. Of course, if he had spoken to his subordinate at all that day and recognized Ichigo, then they might as well forget about lunch plans.

Peering around the immense facility, Rangiku felt a pang of dismay. She couldn't just leave the uniforms lying around, but she was in no mood to go searching for the behemoth of a man who was conspicuously absent. At her side Ichigo was gazing at his surroundings with an almost childish glee and Rangiku couldn't blame him. Seireitei's training facility was the best in the nation, with expansive exercising grounds and the latest in training equipment. It was a fighter's playground, and she could tell that Ichigo was itching to go play, but he would have the time for that later—her priority at the moment was dropping off her burden and getting back to her office

A slight tinkling sound from above was her only warning, and with a hard shove she pushed Ichigo away from her, using the momentum from the movement to propel herself backwards. She was impressed how Ichigo managed to stay on his feet, though her abrupt action had caused to him to overbalance and he landed in a crouch with a hand braced against the ground. Her attention quickly shifted to the huge man standing arrogantly where they had been previously standing, a large crater underneath his feat while he sported his trademark grin. It was none other than Kenpachi Zaraki, 11th division Captain and resident sociopath.

_Damn. _It looked like it wouldn't be a quick delivery after all. Zaraki was a known lover of a good fight, and he was always searching for a strong opponent—Rangiku thought he was crazy and a little bit scary. His grinning visage did not bode well for them and Rangiku tried to think of a getaway plan.

His attention was focused on Ichigo, completely ignoring her, and she felt a twinge of annoyance. He was an arrogant bastard and Rangiku tended to avoid him whenever possible, but his marked attention towards Ichigo did not sit well with her. Zaraki was admittedly one of the strongest Captains at the school and as of yet Ichigo's ability was untested and unknown. A fight between the two would be disastrous, especially considering that Ichigo didn't even possess a zanpakutō! Her concern only increased when Zaraki made the first move, holding nothing back.

His first charge at Ichigo was hastily dodged, the teen having to fling himself to the side to avoid the first swipe from the large man's sword. Landing clumsily he was barely getting back to his feet before the next attack began. While he managed to avoid the downward thrust aimed at him, he wasn't prepared for the fist that caught him in his side, throwing him several feet away to land winded on the ground.

Rangiku winced as she watched the beating that Ichigo was taking, but she couldn't help but notice the way he was quickly adapting to the larger man's fighting style. Zaraki was a fearsome fighter, with even few of the ranked officers able to fight on par with him, yet Ichigo was for the most part holding his own. He had taken more hits and sustained more damage, but it was becoming clear that Ichigo was not afraid. He did in fact look rather invigorated by the fight, grinning as widely as Zaraki.

She was impressed at his rather unorthodox style of fighting, but Ichigo's skill was undeniable and his instincts very impressive. He even managed to land a hit of his own on Zaraki, using the other man's arm for support as it swept past him to deliver a sweeping kick as his momentum sent him past the other fighter. She was highly impressed, but Rangiku knew that Zaraki was only using a portion of his insane strength, and in the state Ichigo was currently in, he wouldn't stand a chance against the man if he went full strength, and it was even more unthinkable without even a zanpakutō to defend himself with.

Fed up with the situation, and the insufferableness of Zaraki, Rangiku decided that it was past time for them to take their leave. As both fighters readied for their next attack, she made her move. Utilizing _shunpo_, she closed the distance between her and the two fighters in a flash, grabbing Ichigo and transporting them to the nearest door.

Perceiving the form of Zaraki quickly closing in, she swiftly drew her own zanpakutō, which she had left concealed in the folds of her kimono at her back, held in place by her obi. A look of concentration on her face, she unleashed its shikai ability; her "_**Howl Haineko**_!" reverberated throughout the facility, halting the 11th division Captain as Rangiku's blade seemed to disappear, becoming ash that became a blinding haze around him. By the time it had cleared, the two were gone.

"Tch, what a pain, and it was just getting interesting too."

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"What the hell was that?!?!"

Ichigo wanted an explanation. He thought he had been rather understanding for the most part, considering what he had had to put up with that morning. The groping and sexual harassment he had been subjected to had left him feeling edgy but not past the point of endurance; the influx of disconcerting information he had digested had caused him headache but was bearable; and hell, even the surprise attack by the gigantic man with the maniacal grin trying to cleave him in half he had taken in stride…but what he had just witnessed Rangiku perform was beyond his ability to reconcile.

Rangiku on the other hand seemed confused by his vehement surprise. After their harried escape from the crazed Captain, they had wandered the grounds trying to catch their breath. Her suggestion that they make a stop by the medical wing made sense, in light of the rather beat up condition he was in. It was his psyche though that was the worst off, as he struggled to understand the unbelievable abilities Rangiku had demonstrated.

"It was my zanpakutō's _shikai_ ability, Haineko. I only know its shikai ability, though all Captains, with the exception of that monster Zaraki, are able to call forth their more powerful _bankai _ability." She paused when it was evident he had no idea what she was talking about, regarding her with an expression that clearly stated that he thought she was crazy. _Shikai? Bankai? What the hell? _

Ichigo tried to edge away from the woman when she turned her back to him to deliberate on something, but as if sensing his intention, she quickly pinned him with a dark glare that promised severe punishment if he moved. Remembering her strange ability to move faster than his eye could follow, he thought it best to remain where he was. The ability nagged at him, a teasing fragment of memory from his past, something to do with Byakuya and how he had always managed to sneak up on the strawberry…with a silent snarl Ichigo shook away all lingering thoughts of the other man.

"It seems that you Ichigo-kun are much more ignorant of matters than I had originally concluded. This is more dangerous for you, since it puts you at such a disadvantage. I think it is best if you skip your remaining classes for the day and come with me to my office, where we can talk all you want." It sounded like a thinly veiled pick-up line, but coming from Rangiku he knew it was a genuine offer. He was tempted, but he didn't think that skipping classes were the best way to start off at his new school and told her so.

"Well, I am sure that Unohana-san will excuse you from her lesson, especially after tending to your wounds. She is the Captain of the 4th division and Hanatarō's superior, and your health is her priority. I was also under the impression that you weren't overly eager to attend lessons with Kuchiki-san, but I certainly won't stop you if you feel so inclined."

She had a point. Seeing Byakuya again was not high on his list of things he wanted to do.

"What about Kenpachi Zaraki?" This earned him an incredulous stare,

"Ichigo-kun, that man that just tried to disembowel you _was _Zaraki." Oh.

"Listen, I will take care of everything and if anyone complains, I will get my Captain to handle it. I might as well page Renji too, though I am sure he already knows about the Zaraki incident—news travels fast here. We will stop by Unohana-san's office to get you treated, and then can talk in the privacy of my office. Let's go."

Ichigo was in a bit of a daze as he obediently followed Rangiku towards a pristine looking white building. He wasn't sure how much more excitement he could handle and fervently hoped that this Unohana person was at least somewhat normal and wouldn't try to grope or kill him.

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"Captain, I formally request permission to be absent from today's lesson."

An elegant brow lifted slightly in question, and Renji felt his confidence slip just a bit.

"An issue concerning the new student has arisen and Rangiku has just informed me that my presence would be appreciated." When the man sitting in front of him only continued to gaze evenly at him, an unreadable expression across his face like usual, Renji felt his patience start to snap.

"Whatever this so-called issue is Lieutenant, it has nothing to do with us. It has been confirmed that this new student has been taken under the protection of the 10th division Captain Hitsugaya-san, and thus any issue concerning the student is not for us to interfere with." His Captain could be a real pain in the ass when it came to proper conduct and following protocol sometimes.

"Captain Kuchika, I think it would be in the best interest of our division to keep an eye on this new guy. Rumor has it he was able to hold his own against Captain Zaraki, and without even a zanpakutō!" The man in front of did not seem overly impressed, and Renji began to grow more frustrated.

"Captain—"

"Enough Renji. This matter does not concern you or the 6th division. While I have heard the rumors circulating this school about the new student, I fail to see what is so impressive about a boy who does not even own a zanpakutō of his own. Do not listen to everything you hear or you will be overwhelmed by senseless chatter. I also do not understand why you seem so interested in this boy—could it be that you have given up on chasing after my sister?" That stung. His Captain could be a cruel bastard sometimes.

"Rukia has nothing to do with this, and it's not like I'm the only one who's noticed that this new boy is different. I think this Kurosaki boy would even make a good addition to our division!"

Renji was not prepared for the reaction his last statement had on his Captain. It was rare to see the other man lose his composure or left slip the impassive mask he always wore. The utter shock that filled Kuchiki Byakuya's face at the mention of Kurosaki's name was disconcerting to the Lieutenant, and he wondered why the name would shake up the other man so extremely.

"Kurosaki. Ichigo?" Renji gave a hesitant nod, not sure of how to respond to his Captain's peculiar behavior, though at least Kuchiki seemed to have composed himself once again.

"Very well. As your Captain it is my responsibility to make sure the duties of my Lieutenant are taken care of. I will see to the issue concerning this Kurosaki Ichigo. You Renji, will remain here and handle the class for the rest of the day." Captain Kuchiki was out the door before his statement had completely registered with his baffled Lieutenant.

"Damn, why do I feel like I am missing something here?"

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A/N: Okay, I have a few things to get out, so here goes!

Secondly, I am currently without a beta, so I do apologize for the lack of proper editing. I am a bit of a stickler myself for proper grammar, spelling and syntax, but without someone besides my biased eyes, there are errors I know I have missed in my proof reading. Please bear with me, I prefer to at least get the chapter out to thank you who follow the story and am waiting on it; I will get to the editing eventually 3

Third, since this is my first story and I am a bit new to the writing scene, I find that I am flexible and am always welcome to suggestions or requests from you, the readers. I do care what you think!

! Thank you again for all those who have read and enjoyed this story, and for all you who reviewed, your support feeds my plot bunnies.

**Next Chapter**: Hitsugaya is annoyed, Renji gets the beatdown, and Ichigo gets surprised! It will be a fun ride!

1 Marechiyo Ōmaeda – Soifon's Vice-Captain


	4. Confusion

Irresistible Strawberry

Chapter 4

A/N: Hitsugaya is given babysitting duty, Rangiku does some explaining, and Zaraki gets lost.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Bleach

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Rangiku was at a loss. Sitting behind her desk in the relative privacy of her office, with a rather dazed looking Ichigo slouched in the chair across from her; she had no idea where to begin. In all her years at Seireitei, she had never encountered a student who had so little knowledge about the school. The brief visit to Unohana-san had been enlightening, but also added even complication to the situation, and Rangiku could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on.

Ichigo was looking a little lost himself and Rangiku couldn't help but feel sympathy for the boy. She usually didn't take so quickly to new students, finding most adolescent boys to be far too annoying to be worth her attention, but Ichigo seemed to be a special case. His unique looks were part of the appeal, although she could admit that Seireitei had its fair share of attractive male specimen as it was.

More than anything, Rangiku would have to admit that Ichigo's greatest appeal was his distinctive personality. He was quite a contradiction. In some ways he was very naïve about the world, but it was undeniable after spending time with him that he was someone who had experienced a difficult life. Despite his brash attitude and rough exterior, it was rather obvious that he was a sensitive individual, empathetic to others and protective of those weaker than himself. It was really no wonder that he had garnered so much attention from his fellow classmates…of course, it was highly likely that he was popular for his attractive appearance more than anything else as she doubted many had taken the time to observe more than his pretty face.

With a mental groan she contemplated her next move. She was very curious about the whole situation, but it wouldn't be very kind of her to pump Ichigo for explanations and information while he was in such a stressed state. These things were better suited to her Captain, who had a knack for handling complicated situations. She knew he wouldn't appreciate getting dragged away from his lesson, but she felt that he would be greatly interested in the new development; it was very rare for anyone to enter into Seireitei without an understanding of its unique history and function. Her captain always preferred to be in the know, and Rangiku knew he took pride in always be one step up in the game of intelligence gathering.

She was shaken out of her contemplative thoughts by the sound of a restless body shifting in its chair. Ichigo was becoming more agitated she could tell, and she knew that this type of situation really was not her strong point. In cases like this, she was more effective backup; it was due time to interrupt her dear Captain's class for what she considered to be a more pressing matter. Only his first day, Ichigo had already shown great potential and she was going to do what she could to ensure that he grew into that potential, and his ignorance could very well prove dangerous to him in the future.

Smoothing rising from behind her desk, Rangiku received a startled looked from Ichigo, quickly followed by a confused stare as she moved towards the door. Throwing him a reassuring smile, she was quick to reassure him that she would be back in a few minutes.

"I am going to grab us something to drink, and see if I cannot lure my Captain away from his lesson. Renji might show up, although I paged him a while ago and it shouldn't have taken him this long…oh well, just don't be surprised if someone other than me pops in." With a final nod, Rangiku was out of the office, the door emitting a soft click as it was closed behind her, leaving Ichigo alone.

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"What did I do to deserve this…?" Hitsugaya could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on as he stared grimly around his classroom, which was currently filled with thrice the number of students than was normal. The baldy and eyebrow from the 11th Division were off by the windows, arguing heatedly about something. Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu was milling around by the door, fidgeting occasionally while her focus kept shifting between the classroom and the hallway, waiting for Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi appearance. Her subordinate Hanatarō Yamada was presently standing nervously next to Renji Abarai, the 6th Division's Lieutenant. Lieutenant Abarai was currently standing in front of _him _demanding his attentionand Captain Hitsugaya was left wondering again what he had done to deserve this headache. Captain Soifon had even dumped her Lieutenant off on him, using some excuse about an important appointment and how she didn't have time to babysit.

Having so many Lieutenants gathered together informally like this was strange enough, but the fact that so many divisions were now mingling in such a confined space was truly atypical. Students affiliated with the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 11th, and his own 10th Division now occupied the limited space of his classroom. Admittedly, many general classes were often intermingled, but in his advanced Tactical class, he should have only been dealing with those from his division and the few others interested in the area. The number of students occupying his class at the moment was ridiculous, and he could feel the tenuous hold on his temper start to fray further as the volume in the room steadily increased.

"Everyone, SHUT UP! This may not be your standard class, nor am I your usual instructor, but you WILL adhere to my rules."

The room had become abruptly still and silent after his outburst, though whether it was from the authority he wielded as a Captain or the fact that a heavy layer of ice now coated the floor, walls and ceiling, he didn't care.

With the attention of the room still focused on him, Hitsugaya continued on, "You may use this time as a free study period. My normal students are to read through the current chapter and be ready to test on it tomorrow. The volume in this room is to be kept to a minimum. I would like all Lieutenants and ranked officers to my desk please. The rest of you may get to work." Satisfied that the students had been sufficiently subdued, he turned his attention to the six individuals now standing at attention around his desk.

"Would any of you care to explain to me again, exactly _why _I have been given the dubious honor of all of your presences? If I recall correctly, you all have respective Captains of your own, and should be taking up their time, not mine." Hitsugaya couldn't quite keep the annoyance out of his voice as he said this.

"Captain Unohana-san was called away to deal with the increasing amount of injuries due to Captain Zaraki's…enthusiasm chasing after a student. His Lieutenant Yachiru-san is with him, although she was supposed to come here to pick up her squadron. Thus, our two divisions have been left in your care." Isane finished with a small respective bow in his direction.

"Haha, that's our Captain for you! Always looking for stronger opponents!" This outburst came from Ikkaku, a wide grin on his face. His partner Yumichika was silent by his side, customary smirk on his face.

"Yeah, I heard he attacked a defenseless student, who didn't even have a zanpakutō! The hell's up with that Baldy, huh?" Leave it to Renji to create an explosive atmosphere.

"Well, a-a-actually, he only suffered minor injuries from his bout with Captain Zaraki, at least from what I heard from the Captain. She mentioned treating him after his fight with the Captain." The little 4th Division officer was looking decidedly uncomfortable as he addressed his fellow Shinigami.

"Minor injuries? No thanks to that crazy Captain!" Renji was worked up by this point.

"He used to be your Captain too! Don't get too cocky with me you bastard; who taught you how to fight again?" Ikkaku was matching Renji's aggression by this point.

"It was amazing that he only had minor injuries, especially considering he went up against Zaraki like that…" Isane seemed to be musing to herself more than joining into the escalating argument.

"Quite impressive for a rookie I must admit, although he is a little too rough around the edges for my taste. I don't see why there's such a big fuss about this boy." Did Yumichika sound just a bit jealous?

"Shut up eyebrow, who'd be interested in you anyway? That goes for you too Baldy! I've heard what you've been up to, and I'm warning you now, it ain't gonna happen as long as I'm around." Renji and Ikkaku were now in each other's faces, the tension almost tangible between them.

Hitsugaya's patience was at its breaking point. The "discussion" around his desk now had the whole classroom captivated, and the supposed Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 were acting like small school children! He also had a question of his own he wanted answered, but before he could interject, the almost forgotten party took that moment to intercede.

"Ah, hey, who are you all talking about?" Silence reigned as six heads swiveled in surprise to face the speaker, Marechiyo Ōmaeda

Lieutenant of the 2nd Division under Captain Soifon,Ōmaeda was not popular among many of his associates, deemed dull and arrogant, lacking the skill to back up his position. Not a particular favorite of Captain Hitsugaya, but for once the ice wielder was grateful for the man's interruption, saving him from having to voice the same thought.

Of course, five voices clamoring out the answer all at once was not what he would have preferred.

"The Strawberry." "That new student." "Rangiku-san's friend." "Kurosaki-san." "Ichigo" While Ōmaeda seemed taken aback by the verbal barrage, Hitsugaya was more bemused than anything.

He had heard the rumors, now confirmed into fact, about Captain Zaraki's tangle with a student. It seemed that the Kurosaki boy was indeed making quite a name for himself, even if he himself didn't realize it. Hitsuguya was at first worried about his impromptu decision to extend his Division's protection over the new student, but as the day progressed, he surmised that it was the right decision he had made. Kurosaki would be an asset, whether or not he decided to actually join the 10th Division or not.

Rangiku seemed fond of the boy, and although he could never admit to it publicly, he felt responsible for her, and a little guilty, especially after the Ichimaru incident which had stripped her of her instructor duties. She was his subordinate, and he had a duty to protect her, which he had failed to do in that particular incident. He had failed another equally important person during that time, but the past was the past, and thinking about it only served to remind him of the painful event.

Shaking free from his depressing thoughts, Hitsugaya re-focused his attention on the people standing in front of him, no longer arguing for which he was thankful.

×_**Sigh**_× "The issue of Kurosaki can be resolved later. I still have you all to deal with. Lieutenants Kotetsu, Madarame, Ayasegawa, and officer Yamada – I expect I will be stuck with your for an indefinite amount of time, since I do not believe that Lieutenant Kusajishi will be making an appearance anytime soon. No doubt her and Captain Zaraki are off lost somewhere, again. Captain Unohana will no doubt have her hands full for a while." Ikkaku and Yumichika shared a long suffering look; they knew of their commanding officers' lack of directional sense.

"However, this does not explain to me how I ended up with the 6th Division Lieutenant." An expectant look was thrown the crimson-haired man's direction. The presence of Renji and his division in his class was indeed puzzling. Hitsugaya was interested in the reason. It seemed he wasn't the only curious one, as Renji soon felt the entire room's focus on him.

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It was easy fall into old habits, forgetting his immediate surroundings, getting into an argument with Ikkaku, but now that the spotlight was solely on him, Renji felt less than enthusiastic about speaking.

For starters, he himself was not sure why he had been abandoned by his Captain. While all Lieutenants were given the option of instructing, Renji had never been interested and so his Captain had never assigned him permanent teaching duties. To be abruptly dumped with babysitting duty, as he called it, was surprising to say the least. It was quite uncharacteristic of his disciplined Captain to take such impulsive action and Renji was at a loss for an explanation.

It had seemed like a sensible decision at the time to visit the 10th Division Captain, as the ice-master always seemed to know a little more than everyone else. Well, excluding perhaps Captain Kurotsuchi, but it was always hard to tell if the man was being annoyingly mysterious or simply creepy. Renji had been surprised to see his fellow Lieutenants already present, and Captain Hitsugaya had seem equally surprised by his unannounced appearance. Of course, that surprise quickly gave way to irritation when Renji's "class" was added to the already large assortment of students occupying the classroom.

While it looked like the Captain was attempting to keep his irritation under control, Renji was trying to sort out his confused thoughts. He had been called to Rangiku's office, concerning the new student Kurosaki. She had made it sound important so he though he would go see what she wanted. Anything having to do with Ichigo promised to be interesting and it definitely beat sitting around in a stuffy classroom. The meeting with his Captain for approval went nothing like he had imagined, ruined his plans and left him in his current situation—lost.

Renji was confused. Rangiku hadn't made much sense in her hurried page to him. His Captain hadn't made any sense when he disappeared off somewhere. Zaraki randomly attacking someone he could accept, but that it just happened to be Ichigo; how one person managed to cause such havoc in the school in such a short time made no sense to him. From all reports, the boy was doing all he could to keep to himself, but trouble seemed to seek him out. Renji felt that somehow everyone standing around him were linked, however inadvertently, through some connection by Kurosaki. Even his Captain, if his reaction to Ichigo's name was anything to go by…

Renji gave himself a mental slap. He had forgotten about his Captain's reaction to the name. Maybe that would be a clue into Captain Kuchiki's strange behavior. If anyone might know something, the Captain standing before him would.

"Captain Hitsugaya!"

Renji never got the chance to voice his question, as an out of breath Rangiku burst through the door.

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The sight before her brought Rangiku to a surprised halt in the doorway. Expecting to find her Captain involved in his lesson, the presence of her fellow Lieutenants was startling and unexpected. A quick scan of the room only added to her confusion. '_Why did her Captain have so many students, from various Divisions no less? Why were her fellow officers there? What the hell was Renji doing there when he should be on his way to her office?!'_

"Matsumoto?" The question broke through Rangiku's thoughts, drawing her back to her surroundings and allowing her to focus on the person before her, an annoyed looking Captain Hitsugaya. "I expect you have good reason to come barging into my classroom like this."

'_Damn_'. Now that she was there, Rangiku did not feel so confident in her mission, especially as her Captain was now surrounded unexpectedly by so many people. With so much speculation and interest centered around Kurosaki already, she wouldn't feel right burdening him with more caused by her actions. However, she knew Hitsugaya well, and it was obvious to her that he was losing what little patience he had left as she stood there hesitating.

"Actually, I would prefer to speak to you in private please. Renji, I require you as well." Surprise flitted across Hitsugaya's stony expression briefly, before he gave a nod in acknowledgment and began moving towards her. Her relief was short lived though when it became apparent Renji was not following.

Hitsugaya, noting where her attention was directed, also turned back towards the crimson-haired Lieutenant, who was now looking both a little confused and irritated.

"I ain't going anywhere until someone explains to me what the hell is going on! Rangiku, you said something about Ichigo earlier when you told me to come to your office; is that what this is about?" Rangiku could have cheerful run him through with her Haineko, as the interest level of their audience tangibly peaked upon hearing that.

Her annoyance with him only increased further when she recalled that he wasn't even supposed to be there. Forgetting for the moment her discussion with her Captain, Rangiku rounded on Renji, who was taken aback by the force of her anger.

"Baka! Is it so hard to follow simple instructions?! I told you I needed you at my office 10 minutes ago, and yet here I find you, still 10 minutes late and no closer to my office! Idiot! What are you doing here anyway?" By this time Rangiku had the attention of the whole room, the air around her almost crackling from the strength of her fury.

Of course, Renji was never one to back down, and met her anger face on.

"Oi! It ain't my fault. I was gonna come to your office, but when I went to get approval, my Captain went all weird on me and took off! I only came here beca—" He was abruptly cut off when he found himself in a chokehold, Rangiku tightly grasping the collar of his uniform as she pulled him down to her eyelevel.

"_What _did you just say about your Captain? Do you know where he went? How much did you tell him?" Rangiku was flustered, and Renji was now even more confused. It seemed everyone was acting strange that day.

"I only told him that you requested my help with something…" Rangiku was not appeased, and continued to give him a hard stare, making Renji feel decidedly nervous. Rangiku could be very scary when she wanted to be.

"Did you mention Ichigo's name? Did you? Renji!" The 6th Division Lieutenant was worried that Rangiku would start shaking him soon if he didn't answer, but her chokehold and the intensity of her interrogation was making it hard for him to breathe, much less give her a prompt answer.

"Matsumoto, that is enough. Release him and explain what is going on." Renji was temporarily saved by the intervention of Captain Hitsugaya, but while Rangiku released him physically, her eyes still pinned him to the spot, demanding an answer.

"Maa, maa. Okay, yeah, I might've mentioned Ichigo's name. I mean, it's not like he wouldn't have learned of it later by some—" For the second time in less than 10 minutes Renji found himself cut off, this time by the hard right hook that caught him completely by surprise. The rest of the room was surprised too, as they watched the 6th Division Lieutenant slide a few feet across the floor, only to come up with teeth bared.

"The hell!? Rangiku, what the hell do you think you're doing, bitch!" His anger only grew when he noticed she wasn't even paying attention to him, her focus turned towards her Captain.

Rangiku was equally furious and frantic; she couldn't believe the idiocy of her fellow officer and she was worried about Captain Kuchiki's unknown whereabouts. She had thought she had made it clear that Renji make haste to her office, and that it was a delicate situation that required discretion; Captain Kuchiki's involvement was the last thing she needed. To be fair, she hadn't specifically warned Renji not to mention Ichigo to his Captain, after all, Byakuya would eventually learn of his presence at the school anyway. Admittedly, she still wasn't sure of their exact history, only that Ichigo did not seem too fond of Captain Kuchiki.

She would apologize to Renji later for her impulsive punch; her body moved before her mind had a chance to catch up. Sometimes her temper got the best of her. Right now, she had a more pressing issue.

"Captain! You have to get to my office right away! I don't have time to explain right now, but your presence may become very necessary." Unfortunately, Rangiku knew it wouldn't be that simple. Her Captain was not in the habit of making hasty decisions without satisfactory knowledge about a situation. However, there might be one way that could possibly force him into action without her divulging too much in front of her fellow Shinigami…

Leaning down until she was level with him, in a low voice meant only for his ears, she appealed to his sense of honor and responsibility, unable to hide the urgency in her voice.

"Renji was correct, this does concern Kurosaki Ichigo. The matter is complicated because Captain Kuchiki may now be involved, and there is some connection between the two although I am not quite certain what it is yet. We need to hurry, for if what Renji mentioned has anything to do with this, his Captain might well be on his way to my office as we speak!" Hitsugaya wore a skeptical expression, and Rangiku could feel her patience slip further away. _'Why must her Captain be so stubborn?'_

"I do not see how this has anything to do with me. Let Captain Kuchiki deal with it. I am interested in this development, but it is not my place to interfere –" Rangiku's next words stopped him short.

"What if I told you I think it might be a romantic connection? Nothing confirmed, but definitely a feeling—call it female intuition. Ichigo seemed genuinely concerned about an encounter with the man, and did you not extend your protection over the boy, including from even another Captain?"

_**Bingo**_. She knew her Captain couldn't let that last piece slide. If her hunch was correct, she would be sitting on a goldmine of a gossip piece. Hitsugaya prided himself on keeping updated on everything he could, and this was something definitely worth investigating. His sense of honor also would not allow him to overlook the trouble the Kurosaki boy might be experiencing; he had offered his protection after all.

Rangiku had to hide her sigh of relief once she knew she had accomplished her mission; they had to move quickly or else her efforts would be in vain.

Unfortunately, she had forgotten that while her fellow officers couldn't hear what she had been discussing, they were no less interested. Knowing them, they would all want to accompany them, and Rangiku could only imagine where that would lead to. She had faith in her Captain, so she would let him deal with the Kuchiki situation, while she handled the situation in the classroom.

"Captain, you should get going. I will assume your duties here until you return."

Hitsugaya regarded her with surprise for a moment, before sparing a glance around the room. With a small nod of acknowledgement he was out the door, his presence quickly fading from her senses as he sped off towards the direction of her office. Rangiku wondered which of them had the easier battle…

"Rangiku…care to explain what the hell is going on?" The growl in Renji's voice was readily apparent, but Rangiku was not so easily intimidated.

"No, not really. If you had done what I'd requested in the first place, you would already know."

"I would like to know, especially if it has anything to do with that delectable Strawberry I have my eye one." This earned Ikkaku a disgusted look from Renji and sharp jab in his side by his partner Yumichika.

"Matsumoto-san, I would like to know too. Ichigo is my f-f-friend too." Hearing the usually quiet Hanatarō speak up was a surprise, and Isane now too seemed equally interested in the discussion.

"Sorry, I don't know anything." Rangiku admitted that she was having a little too much fun, but it wouldn't do to spill the beans now. Making a hasty retreat seemed her only viable option.

"Class dismissed. You are all to head down to the Central Library for an extended study hall until further notice. If there is any problem, don't bother coming to me about it, as I am not an authorized instructor. Dismissed." Her announcement was met with surprised silence, and then sullen compliance as the students slowly began filing out of the classroom, shooting furtive glances her way all the while; no doubt disappointed she wouldn't share the secret.

Her plan to follow the last students out and make a clean escape was foiled though, the blades of Zabimaru and Hōzukimaru blocking her escape. Casually held, Renji's and Ikkaku's zanpakutōs were still clear warning that their owners meant business. Rangiku knew she wouldn't win this battle. "Alright, you win. Let's head towards my office, and I will explain what I can along the way." Agreement was quick and the group headed towards the door. Only to be greeted by the ever smiling face of the bubbly 11th Division Lieutenant, her Captain no where in sight. "Where's the Captain?" "Ken-chan went to the administrative building to meet his new friend Ichii!" Rangiku only hoped Ichigo, and her office, survived the hour.

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"Damn. How do I get to the administrative office again?" With a grunt of annoyance, Zaraki took sped off, running in the direction he hoped would bring him face-to-face with the orange-haired rookie again.

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Byakuya Kuchiki was not pleased. He was not overly fond of the Captain of the 11th Division; the man was a mere commoner, with no noble blood to speak of, and above that, he was a complete brute, only ever concerned with battling, with no sense of finesse whatsoever. That Zaraki's irrepressible and destructive tendencies were now interfering in his affairs was unacceptable, and only lowered Byakuya's opinion of the man.

Standing in front of the partially destroyed classroom, with aides from the 4th Division hurrying about tending to the injured, Byakuya wished he could simply leave; he had no interest in the scene before him and felt it concerned him in no way to begin with. Unfortunately for him, Captain Unohana was currently busy in the Medical wing and the aftermath left over from Captain Zaraki was extensive and all free Captains had been enlisted to assist.

He did not have the time for this. There was a much more pressing matter he needed to attend to, if what his Lieutenant mentioned was correct. If it really was his Strawberry…a voice jolted him away from the interesting path his thoughts were taking, making him aware that he was not alone and in a very public place.

Giving himself a mental shake and reprimand for letting his guard down, he refocused his attention on the man before him, who seemed a little preoccupied himself and didn't notice Byakuya's lapse.

"Captain Kuchiki, perhaps you wouldn't mind taking over here. Someone at the administrative wing must be informed that all further classes have been cancelled and that students should return either to their dorms or home. That Zaraki is out of control."

The opportunity he had been looking for.

"I will inform them of the new development. I was heading headed in that direction originally. Your presence here is more valuable." Not giving the other Captain a chance to respond, Byakuya was gone in a flash. He had wasted too much time as it was; he had no use for unnecessary discussion.

Captain Ukitake was left staring at an empty space, Captain Kuchiki's aura quickly fading from his senses. His brief discussion with the 4th Division Captain had him wondering if perhaps Kuchiki-san hadn't had some ulterior motive for volunteering for courier duty…

With a sigh, Ukitake turned his attention back to the problem at hand, namely getting the injured treated and the debris cleaned up.

"It promises to be an interesting year…"

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Ichigo was getting impatient. Rangiku had been gone for ten minutes already, and he didn't think that a cup of coffee would have held her up that much. Maybe she was experiencing troubles with her Captain.

He had mixed feelings about the man; Hitsugaya seemed the reserved and analytical type, aloof and serious, an apparent contrast to his capricious and spirited Lieutenant. Despite that, Ichigo got the impression that the two were very close, and Hitsugaya's actions regarding Ichigo himself reflected his regard of Rangiku. It was through her actions that her Captain even went to such lengths on his behalf.

A restless body and even more restless mind, Ichigo began pacing back and forth around the relatively small office. He hoped that someone would be able to explain things; the ground beneath him kept shifting so he felt continually off-balance.

It seemed he would have to have a nice chat with his father that night, and that damn shopkeeper had his own explaining to do. He had always felt that there were things his father and that damn Urahara were keeping from him, and even Yoruichi-san always seemed to be checking herself. He had brushed it off, figuring it to be of little importance, but now it seemed that perhaps he should have given more attention to what was not being said.

Everything was happening too fast and he felt completely disorientated, which only served to piss him off more. Feeling extremely frustrated, he flopped back down in the chair with a grunt. Closing his eyes, he attempted to settle his emotions, only to be jolted rudely by the sound of the door opening.

"What took you so long—" Surprise rendered him mute, but shock quickly wore off as survival instincts kicked in and Ichigo was behind the desk in a flash, body tensed in anticipation, one word escaping from him, "You!"

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A/N: I sincerely apologize for the delay of this chapter update! The next one will no doubt be longer in coming, as I am now close to the end of my program and swamped with work. There just isn't enough time in a day...

This chapter is rough, and not as long as I might have liked, but I wanted to at least get it out there, for those who may have been waiting for it. Also, I have made some minor and major edits to my previous chapters; this was done so as to fit the flow of the story a bit more, so if things later on do not make as much sense, a look back for these edits should help.

-- Note: When it comes to naming conventions, I admit I struggle with keeping them uniform. I believe Hitsugaya stands on formality, and would stick with Seireitei's habitual use of family name before the given name (He is one of the only one to have ever used Ikkaku's family name), so I ended up using many of the characters family names, which are unfortunately more unfamiliar than their given --

_4__th__ Division: Lieutenant – Isane __**Kotetsu**_

_7__th__ Seat – Hanatarō __**Yamada**_

_11__th__ Division: Lieutenant – Yachiru __**Kusajishi**_

_3__rd__ Seat – Ikkaku __**Madarame**_

_5__th__ Seat – Yumichika __**Ayasegawa**_

_**Abarai**__ should be easier to recognize._

Reviews are always welcome, and I apologize again for the long delay.


	5. Surprises

Irresistible Strawberry

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!

Warnings: Lemony content ahead. Swearing. You have been warned.

A/N: Ichigo discovers desks can be used against you, Zaraki continues to wreak mayhem, and Hanatarō struggles with karma issues.

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"Hmm, how rude, not even a proper greeting? It's been so long; I'd hoped you might be happier to see me."

Ichigo felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine at that familiar tone, but the wry amusement that accompanied the words had his already frayed temper snapping at the leash. He wasn't stupid enough to leave the relative safety afforded by the desk, but he strongly desired to smack the smug smirk off the bastard's face.

The intruder's amusement seemed to only antagonize Ichigo further, but what was more, he could feel embarrassment start to seep in; Ichigo could only imagine the picture he made, hiding behind the desk like a stubborn child afraid to get too close; as if a desk would actually protect him. The death glares the orange-haired boy was shooting at the intruder should have killed the other man on the spot if looks were able to kill, but as it were, they only served to heighten the other's amusement, much to Ichigo's discomfort.

Neither one of them spoke, the interloper content to stare at the disgruntled teen behind the desk, while said disgruntled teen couldn't seem to formulate any kind of response in the face of his shock. Unnerved by the other's stare, Ichigo broke their silent staring contest to gaze blindly at his hands resting on top of the desk, anything to avoid being caught in the other man's gaze again. The prickling at the back of his neck alerted him to the fact that the other man continued to stare at him, and he could feel heat start to creep up his neck and into his face from the constant scrutiny.

A chuckle brought his head back up, brows drawn together in displeasure with eyes narrowed in annoyance. Those same eyes widened in dismay when the man stepped away from the door, the now closed door. While escape had seemed improbable before, the closed door sealed his fate. The other man's speed was not something to take lightly, and any hindrance, even the few seconds it would take to open a door, would leave Ichigo at a disadvantage and in a very vulnerable position. He was only slightly relieved when the other man stopped at the chair, making no move to come around the desk.

Sparing a quick glance around the office, Ichigo desperately searched for something he could use as leverage. While something to use as a weapon would be nice, a distraction would be better, as he didn't think he would be able to take out the other man out in close combat in hand-to-hand combat.

The room was actually sparsely furnished, something he had not bothered to notice when he first entered. Apart from the desk he was currently behind, and chair he had previously occupied, there wasn't much else in the way of furniture. A small filing cabinet in the one of the corners, a small bookcase near the door, and a coat stand opposite the bookcase. It was a smaller office, so he could understand the lack, but everything that was there screamed impersonal. There were no pictures on the wall, no plants—real or fake—and the coloring was nondescript. The walls were beige and the cushions on the chairs were beige to match. Even the filing cabinet and bookcase were a shade of beige. A brown carpet matched the oak tones of the desk and coat stand, but did little to make the room any more appealing.

The only thing of notice was on the desk, which was a nice quality desk but void of most office essentials. On it sat a lone framed photograph. There were no loose papers, no pens or pencils, no little knick-knacks, not even a coffee mug. Ichigo was starting to get the distinct feeling that Rangiku rarely used this office space.

Curious about the photograph, the only true personalized touch to the whole room, Ichigo leaned in closer to get a better look. A man stared back at him, or at least he assumed the man was looking towards the camera. He had amazingly narrow eyes, squinty to the point you couldn't see any pupil. His smile seemed to be hiding something, and his hair reminded Ichigo of Captain Hitsugaya, although this man's was a little more silver and not as shockingly bright. Rangiku was sitting at his feet, a beaming smile on her face. They looked like they were in some type of field, surrounded by grass and open sky.

So engrossed in the photo was he that he barely had time to register that the other presence in the room had made the circuit around the desk and was now standing near his left shoulder. With a startled oath he sprang away, needing to put more distance between them, his instincts screaming _danger_. Or at least he tried to.

Quicker than he could react, he was yanked backwards and then pinned bodily against the desk. Resistance was futile as the other man needed only to lean more weight onto the struggling boy to keep him down. Not to say that Ichigo didn't try; quite frankly, he was tired of the whole business and it really pissed him off how little control he seemed to have over the situation. If getting groped, beaten up and generally harassed wasn't enough, he was now under the mercy of a man he really would have rather avoided.

A low chuckle sounded in his ear as he continued to struggle uselessly. One of his hands was trapped between their bodies, ineffectually pushing at the other man's chest to get off him, while the other was firmly caught in the man's grasp, pinned to the desk above his head. Ichigo was starting to feel very desperate, and a little afraid. The worst feeling though, was that his current situation and the bodily contact were starting to get him excited. The feeling of helplessness and of being physically dominated was starting to turn him on, and he cursed his body's ready response.

A startled gasp escaped from Ichigo as the man above him shifted, bringing their bodies into fuller contact, the friction in his most sensitive area sending a quick spasm of pleasure through his body. His reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"It's been such a long time, hasn't it? Such a long time for any healthy teenage boy to remain celibate like you have. Poor boy, I'll make it better." The playful smirk and possessive lust in the man's eyes did nothing to ease Ichigo's reservations, but he could not hold back a stifled moan as the other man ground into his growing erection.

It had been so long, and while jerking off did help alleviate some of his sexual frustration, it hardly compared to the satisfaction of a good bout of sex. Even as his body welcomed the stimulating sensations, his mind was vehemently protesting the situation. He may have been sex deprived, but Ichigo would be damned if he just gave into this man without a fight; he wasn't some dumb beast driven by only his instincts!

"Ah, still as stubborn as ever I see. Why fight me? You know you will just give in at the end."

Ichigo's protest was lost as his lips were captured in a demanding kiss. The other man was never one to ask, he just took. Panicking at the thought of giving in, Ichigo bit down upon the intruding tongue, not hard enough to do any real damage, but enough to force a withdrawal. Panting and short of breath from the kiss, he could only glare up at his assailant; damn if the man couldn't kiss and it wasn't doing anything to help his temper.

The sight of the man only grinning indulgently set off warning bells in Ichigo's head. His struggles renewed in force, and he was appalled to realize that he had become compliant sometime during the kiss. '_I won't give in to you bastard!' _ Unfortunately, he was at a complete disadvantage and they both knew it.

"I've waited a long time to be able to get a taste of you again. Don't believe I will be so easily thwarted." '_Oh crap' _Ichigo remembered that particular tone and it always meant trouble for him.

Light kisses were trailed up his neck, and lips teasingly bit down on his earlobe, earning a small gasp, as it was a particularly sensitive weak spot for him. Thoughts of resistance were getting increasingly difficult to maintain, as tingles of pleasure continuously spread through his body from the other man's ministrations. No longer did he physically struggle, the hand between their bodies now grasping at the man's shirt and his other limp in the man's hold.

Sensing victory close, the man increased the pace, now allowing free reign of his hands to explore Ichigo's body and attempt to wring more delectable moans from the boy. Ichigo still had some fight left in him though, as he still refused to allow access to his mouth, avoiding contact by shifting his head away whenever lips got too close. He couldn't quite stifle his sighs of pleasure though and it served to spur the man on.

Ichigo was too far gone to see the devious grin that passed across his companion's face, but he certainly reacted when a knee came up to forcefully rub against his erection through his pants. This action earned a full throated moan, as the maddening friction had Ichigo almost mindless from the pleasurable stimulation. It was ultimately his undoing, as no sooner had the moan escaped than he found his mouth captured, tasted and devoured by the man pinning him down and seducing him.

Tongues grappled and teeth scrapped, but Ichigo no longer fought to get away, he was too lost to care anymore and welcomed the overwhelming pleasure the other man was bringing him. Between the friction at his groin and man's attempts to completely dominate his mouth, Ichigo was finding it very hard to concentrate, but his partner didn't seem to mind. His hands had found their way under Ichigo's shirt, pushing it up to expose his chest, and were making a determined exploration, focusing intently upon his sensitive nipples, earning more gasping moans.

Ichigo was fucked. He knew it even as he lost himself to the pleasure and sensation. It wasn't the sex that he feared; hell, he couldn't remember the last time he had gotten laid and welcomed the experience. It was the man. Ichigo knew that nothing good could come of this encounter, and his future would be royally screwed. '_As if I needed more complications in my life.' _ He thought he had made a clean break from his past, but now it was threatening to catch up with him once again.

His mind wasn't the only thing that had wandered, and Ichigo felt his body tense in anticipation as he felt one of those roaming hands drift below the waistline of his pants. His cock was straining in his pants and it jumped in response to the man's first languid touch. Ichigo didn't think he could take much more, as the man ever so slowly undid the button and then the zipper on his pants, revealing the obvious bulge covered by his boxers. Soon the boxers were no longer a barrier, but the man still kept to only light brushes. '_Touch me damn it, enough with the teasing!' _

"Mmm, so eager are we? You quite adorable right now you know. Come, beg for me, I want to hear you moan."

Whatever Ichigo might have said to such an embarrassing statement was lost when the man began to firmly stroke along his throbbing erection, erasing all coherent thought from his head. It felt so damn good, and Ichigo found himself unconsciously arching into that skillful hand, seeking release. His partner would not be rushed though, and Ichigo found it maddening how the man would tease him, bringing him close to release but always stopping him just short of it.

Ichigo was going to go insane! Each teasing stroke sent more heat through his body, pooling in his groin. As the heat continued to build, his body was wracked with little shivers of pleasure. His cock felt so heavy and it throbbed with every touch from the man's hand.

In fact, his companion seemed to find the most pleasure in teasing poor Ichigo, alternating stroking down his length, to then pay special attention to the head of his erection where he was most the sensitive. He would rub his forefinger across the slit, smearing the leaking pre-cum around the head, eliciting breathy moans from the teenager, but whenever Ichigo would come close to release, the man would withdraw and resume his stroking and petting.

"Remember, I said I would have you begging. Beg for me, for this, and I'll let you come. I can play this game for as long as it takes."

Ichigo knew that it was true. While he could feel the other man's erection pressing into his thigh, he knew he could never win the battle of endurance. Still, the thought of giving in to such an embarrassing and demeaning order rankled. Kurosaki Ichigo did _not_ beg. Yet, he couldn't quite stop the pleading and breathy please that escaped unbidden from his lips.

"Please? Please what?" '_Damn you'. _ The man knew damn well what he wanted, but he wouldn't relent until Ichigo fully surrendered to him; Ichigo was fast losing the strength to resist. The man knew it as well and his touches were becoming unbearable. His fingers slid down Ichigo's length, seeking out the delicate balls below, fondling them gently to see his reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

"Oh f-f-fuck! Ahh – stop, uhh!" By this point Ichigo had lost all inhibition and reason, the pleasure was becoming almost painful and he was desperate for release.

"You don't really mean that, do you?" _'You insufferable bastard!'_ When Ichigo didn't answer however, practically incoherent in his abandon, everything stopped.

"I want to hear you say it Ichigo. Say it, or it ends here."

Ichigo was dying. His cock throbbed so much it was painful, he couldn't draw enough breath into his lungs, and his body was so stimulated that even the brush of material against it brought an almost painful pleasure. The man wasn't budging an inch though, and remained staring fixedly into his own brown orbs, waiting for him his surrender.

Throwing all consequence to the wind, Ichigo did just that.

"Please, f-f-fuck me… please, I need you in-inside me!" A desperate plea no louder than a hoarse whisper, it was nevertheless what the man had been waiting for. Taking in the state of poor Ichigo, who looked about ready to cry, his partner thought he looked undeniably sexy as he begged for release, flushed and panting.

A hoarse scream erupted from Ichigo as he was almost harshly pumped, the strokes strong and fast. So close to the edge for so long already, it didn't take long for Ichigo to reach his peak, erupting hard into the man's hand and over his stomach, the other man's shirt. His cry of release was lost as once again his lips were covered, his moan swallowed by the other man's mouth.

It took few moments for Ichigo to come down from his orgasm induced high and get his breathing back under control, not to mention his senses. It took him a few more seconds to realize that his "partner" was still stroking his limp cock, languid and slow strokes along his length which were quickly having a noticeable effect.

At Ichigo's disbelieving look, the man let out a genuine chuckle. Never pausing in his petting, he slowly licked his way up the boy's neck to tug playfully at his ear and whisper, "You didn't think I was finished did you? Foolish boy, to think that could satisfy me."

Ichigo watched almost entranced as the man slowly made to undue his own pants, but the moment was broken when an ear-splitting siren went off in the building, resonating almost deafeningly in the small office. As unexpected as the alarm was, the abrupt opening of the door was an even more unwelcome one, at least as far as Ichigo was concerned. The one most surprised though would be the new arrival, as he stared in mute disbelief at the scene in front of him.

Speechless himself, Ichigo could only muster a weak, "Hey there, Hanatarō…"

'_Oh shit…'  
_

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"Where the hell am I?" Zaraki knew he shouldn't have listened to his pink-haired Lieutenant. Yachiru had as bad a sense of direction as he did. "Damn it!"

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Rangiku was starting to feel very short-tempered. At times like these she questioned the Lieutenant selection process, and if it was _really _based upon skill and merit. Surrounded by her fellow officers, she began to have her doubts. Then again, maybe it was just the 11th Division that was full of crazy brutes. She snorted to herself at that thought, '_The brute part sounds about right_; _they are always bragging or boasting about fighting, just like that crazy Captain of theirs._'

They were arguing, like kindergarteners. Renji and Ikkaku were still goint at it with each other, Yahiru cheering them on while Yumichika fawned over himself in his handheld mirror, throwing a glib comment every so often. That stupid oaf of the 2nd Division, Ōmaeda, only added to the squabbling by interjecting with useless comments and opinions that irritated Renji and annoyed Ikkaku, thus starting a new round of argument. At least Isane and Hanatarō were behaving like civilized people and Rangiku was grateful for that.

The fighting only escalated as their time in one place increased. Their rag-tag group was currently stopped outside one of the various training facilities that dotted the campus; this one was used mainly by the underclassman and beginner classes. The building in front of them remained intact, which was a bit unusual considering Zaraki had been through. He hadn't destroyed it physically in any way, but he _had_ managed to render everyone inside unconscious thanks to his outburst of rage and frustration. They had all felt the spike of spiritual pressure he released earlier, and the anger they could sense in it was enough to make them wary.

For Rangiku this also was good news, or so she first believed. If Captain Zaraki was that frustrated, he hadn't made it to the Administration Building and thus had not found Ichigo; it was fortunate for many that Zaraki had absolutely no sense of direction nor could he track spiritual pressure. It did make avoiding, or hiding, from him relatively easy.

However, thanks to his "little" tantrum, they were all now enlisted in the help effort to treat all the unconscious students and faculty. Since the building was used primarily by younger students and beginners, they had no hope of withstanding such a suffocating reiastu. Of course, a good majority of them had to injure themselves upon losing consciousness; their heads met the floors too hard, they fell on equipment—and they fell off equipment—and even managed to injure themselves with their own weapons. It amounted to a lot of concussions, scrapes and bruises.

Rangiku was not overly fond of the beginner classes; she found many of the students obnoxious, ignorant, or just plain stupid. This certainly did nothing to endear the brats to her Thankfully it was usually beat out of them after the first year, but unfortunately, being the Secretarial Administrator meant she had to deal with them on a regular basis.

Furthermore, this detour was costing her time she didn't have. She wasn't so worried about Zaraki; there was a good chance he would never find the right building anyway. Captain Kuchiki on the other hand, he was a different story. He had no difficulty finding. Rangiku also knew that Toshirō was a man of his word, and if he got involved, it wouldn't matter that Kuchiki was another Captain, he would do what he had to for Ichigo, and for her. Things would get explosive fast. If it came down to a fight between the two Captains, she wasn't sure who would win. Kuchiki had more experience, but Hitsugaya wasn't the youngest Captain in history for nothing.

Unfortunately, despite her misgivings about the whole situation, she couldn't just leave. Captain Unohana had requested their assistance, and no one was going to defy such a request. The lady doctor was no pushover despite her outward gentle appearance. If she could keep even the ruffians of the 11th Division in line, she wasn't someone to cross.

Thankfully, Rangiku had a last resort: Hanatarō. While she couldn't leave, the little 7th seat officer _could._ He was after all part of Unohana's division, and she did seem fond of the boy. It was easy enough providing an excuse for him; he had forgotten his med-pack back in another building from an earlier healing, and he needed to go grab it. Not the most original excuse, but plausible enough for his Captain to approve it.

It everything worked out, he would check in on Ichigo and the situation, and if it was too out of hand, he was to report back immediately. Rangiku wasn't sure what she would do at that point. She would just have to deal with it when it came up.

At the moment she had little kids to take care of, and she didn't mean the ones who were unconscious. The only thing saving the idiots from her wrath was the fact that she didn't want to have to patch them up afterwards. The sound of the alarm system going off was an almost welcome distraction and the desire to maim someone was forgotten momentarily as everyone fell silent, waiting for the announcement of what was wrong.

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Sometimes, Hanatarō wondered what awful things he had done in a previous life to deserve the luck he seemed to have in this one. Of all the things he had been expecting to see when he walked in the door, the surprise he got was something he never could have dreamed of.

When the alarm started sounding, he had picked up his pace, wanting to reach Rangiku-san's office as quickly as possible. It wouldn't be long before an announcement would go through the campus, informing everyone of the reason for the alarm. He hadn't thought to knock, hadn't expected a reason for him to knock; now he wished he had never opened the door.

It was little consolation that Ichigo seemed equally shocked to see him, and embarrassed by his current state. Hanatarō could feel himself turning a bright shade of red. The only one in the room that seemed indifferent to the awkward situation was Ichigo's companion. From what he had heard of the man, Hanatarō wasn't surprised.

He did have to turn away as they began adjusting themselves. There was a choked off sound from Ichigo and the rustling of clothing, but Hanatarō refused to turn around. He couldn't remember ever being in such an awkward situation, or the last time he was this uncomfortable.

Hanatarō really wished he had been a better person in his previous life so his karma wouldn't be so bad now. He wanted to get away, but he wasn't sure what he would do then. _Report back to Rangiku? What would he say? _He knew this wasn't something that would go overlooked, but he didn't want to be responsible for the one to bring it out in the open. This was personal. He liked Ichigo and he didn't want to jeopardize this new friendship by betraying the other's boy's faith in him.

Hanatarō was simply at a loss, staring dumbly at his feet while he silently panicked in his mind. He might have stayed like that indefinitely if it wasn't for the announcement that broke through his thoughts like a bucket of cold water.

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"_Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!"_

"_This is a message from Center 46. It has been confirmed that an intruder has infiltrated the school. Consider the intruder highly dangerous, and proceed accordingly. Last sighting of intruder was reported to be heading towards the Administration Center."_

"_Captains assemble. This is a code red alert."_

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In a courtyard of the 8th Division, Captains Shunsui and Ukitake were enjoying the nice weather, leisurely sipping tea during one of their breaks from instructing. The alarm disrupted the tranquil atmosphere and the two friends shared a look of resignation. Noticing the anxious look on Nanao's face, Shunsui made a dismissing notion. He received a questioning look from his cute Lieutenant, but only replied with a shrug.

"Captain, that was a direct order just now. Shouldn't you be going? Captain Ukitate must look after his health, but you have no excuse!"

"Ah, my sweet and responsible Nanao-chan! Wouldn't you rather enjoy a relaxing herbal tea while watching the sakura trees bloom?"

"Sakura trees don't bloom in the autumn, sir."

As Shunsui was dragged away by his exasperated Lieutenant, protesting loudly all the way, Ukitake couldn't help but chuckle. It reminded him of the times with his own Lieutenant, the easy concern and understanding that he sorely missed. While he deeply cared about his squadron, there was still a sense of loss and emptiness left behind with the vacancy of his Lieutenant position.

Shaking free from the morose turn his thoughts had taken, he began his journey back to his own division quarters. The alarm didn't worry Ukitake overly much; one intruder would hardly be enough to do any serious harm, and he could sense other Captains already on the move. While he let his youth have the fun, he would focus his attention on more pressing matters. There were disturbing signs of a war brewing, and sides were being drawn, power amassing. They too would need to be prepared, but he needed answers and information.

Ukitake let out a tired sigh. Already he had too many things to do and not enough time to do them, and it was only the first day of the semester.

OoOoOoOoO

Nemu followed silently behind her excited Captain as they made their way towards the Administration Center. As soon as the alarm and announcement had gone off, the Captain of the 12th Division dismissed his students and cancelled the rest of his classes for the day.

With only a curt, "Come Nemu," the two of them left their division, Mayuri Kurostuchi eager to reach the Administration quarter to better investigate the intruder. If he or she was found worthy, they would be invited to become his latest test subject. It was no easy feat to beat their security systems, especially a known adversary, so it could prove to be very fruitful to observe what kind of intruder had penetrated their defenses.

His Lieutenant remained impassive, following behind him like an obedient dog. Mayuri thought the description apt. Nemu had been made from his DNA, so they were technically father and daughter, but in essence, Nemu was almost no more than a tool to be utilized. She was a well trained, obedient dog that followed his orders without question.

Dismissing thoughts of his Lieutenant, he turned his mind back to the rare opportunity presented to him. As head of the Research Institute of Technology, he constantly required fresh samples and subjects to study, which of late had been lacking. Even if he failed to acquire a live subject, he would at the very least attain some new and hopefully useful data.

OoOoOoOoO

"Captain Unohana, your orders please?"

The female medic closed her eyes briefly, never pausing in her administrations to her current patient. A minor concussion, and a few bruises from when the student fell off a raised platform; it was an easy healing job, especially for someone of the Captain's skill. As her focus remained on her patient and the silence stretched out, the people around Unohana began to shift restlessly, but no one tried to interrupt again.

Even though Unohana was not their respective Captain, she was still the resident Captain among them and protocol demanded obedience and respect for that status. There was also a healthy dose of fear of what she was capable of; no one wanted to piss off the woman who would possibly someday hold your life in her hands.

As the last glow of healing power faded from her hands, the 4th Division Captain opened her eyes, a contemplative look on her face. The air was thick with tension and strong emotions. It was their strong discipline and training that kept them all there, despite the obvious desire to just leave. She was impressed by their control and the effort it took to hold themselves back. Lieutenants and the highly ranked officers were almost a law unto themselves, deferring only to their own Captain most times. Stories must have traveled through the 11th Division ranks about their last stay in her care. The thought made her smile.

Watching them, Unohana Retsu didn't miss the jittery excitement and anticipation the two 11th Division officers were trying to contain, they postures clearly stating they would rather be looking for the intruder than sticking around helping the recovery effort. She knew that the bubbly little officer of Captain Zaraki's squadron would follow where her officers went; in this case, towards where she could feel the savage man's enormous reiastu.

The 10th Division Lieutenant was almost as bad, giving off an aura of anxious worry and frustration, sneaking impatient glances towards the Administration quarter. Her own Lieutenant, Isane, remained composed, patiently waiting for her Captain's orders. Unohana dismissed Ōmaeda; Soi Fong's Lieutenant was not worthy of contemplation.

Opening her senses a little more, she sought out the familiar signatures of her fellow Captains. Captain Zaraki's she could now easily locate, as she had been coming into contact of traces of it all day. He was currently moving around in the Administration quarter, which came as no surprise; she expected he was still chasing after the new student. She _was_ surprised to sense the presence of two other Captains in close vicinity to his, a third quickly approaching. Zaraki was not overly popular amongst his fellow Captains, so it was unusual to find so many of them together. One of them she could understand. She knew of Captain Hitsugaya's promise to his Lieutenant regarding the Kurosaki boy.

She confirmed that Captains Ukitake and Kyouraku were in their respective division headquarters. Captain Soi Fong was conspicuously absent, though Unohana had a good idea of where the female Shinigami had gone. It was almost impossible to pinpoint the various whereabouts of the Lieutenants; while their reiastu was stronger than most students, normal day to day activities wouldn't create a rise that could be easily tracked.

"Matsumoto-san and 11th Divisions members, you are free to seek out your Captains. I will manage here." Looks of relief washed over their faces and in the blink of an eye they were gone, their reiastu fading as they sped away from her.

"Lieutenant Ōmaeda, if you could be so kind as to stay here and assist me. I know Soi Fong is away today and I would appreciate the help." It wasn't so much of an actual request as an order to stay, but the 2nd Division Lieutenant wasn't the brightest of individuals.

"The Captain's out today? Huh, I thought maybe she was just out training like she usually does. Hah! This means that I am in charge of our division today! This is great!" Isane stared at her fellow Shinigami in horrified amazement. _ Could someone this dumb actually be a Lieutenant?_

"Isane. Please head over to the Administration quarter as well. Lend your healing abilities if needed, but ensure that you keep your eyes and ears open. I would like a full report of events afterwards please."

"Yes Captain!"

The now nervous Ōmaeda darted glances around his surroundings, looking for an escape route. He was too much of a coward to disobey her request though, so Unohana wasn't worried he would go off making a nuisance of himself. She trusted in her Lieutenant's abilities; she would be well informed of the day's events, even if she wasn't there herself to see them unfold.

OoOoOoOoO

Karma_ was a bitch_. That was Ichigo's lament as he considered the mess he had gotten into. Not only had he been jerked off by a man he hadn't seen in years, and still didn't want to see now, he had probably scarred poor Hanatarō for life. The boy had looked completely horrified when he'd walked into the door, and Ichigo couldn't blame him. Whether it was due to seeing two males go at it, or catching them in the act, he couldn't tell. He hoped it was the latter, because Ichigo wasn't going to change his sexual preference anytime soon, even if he did genuinely like the kid.

His assailant—which was what he was as far as Ichigo was concerned—wasn't embarrassed in the least and was giving off an aura of smug satisfaction that made Ichigo want to punch him. He really didn't understand why he seemed to attract the worst kind of guys. Oh, he usually picked up the attractive ones, but it still didn't erase the fact that they were _insane _pricks most the time. Possessive, domineering, arrogant bastards; that was the kind of guy he usually ended hooking up with. It said something about himself, but right now he didn't feel like acknowledging it.

Ichigo was pulled out of his musings by the blaring of an announcement, to compliment the annoying sirens that still reverberated through the room.

"**Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!"**

"**This is a message from Center 46. It has been confirmed that an intruder has infiltrated the school. Consider the intruder highly dangerous, and proceed accordingly. Last sighting of intruder was reported to be heading towards the Administration Center."**

"**Captains assemble. This is a code red alert."**

_Intruder?_ It seemed pretty extreme to him that such a big fuss was being made about someone sneaking onto the campus. Ichigo guessed it had something to do with the prestige of the school perhaps. It had nothing to do with him. Unless…

"Hey. This concerns you, or didn't you hear the announcement! Stop groping me and go!" This statement was emphasized with a sharp jab to the man's side, earning Ichigo a cuff to his head in return that almost had him tumbling off the desk top. He caught himself on the edge, one leg still propped on the desk while the other provided balance on the floor.

Before Ichigo could retaliate he found himself trapped in an unyielding embrace, his arms pinioned to his side and his body in an awkward position, half on the desk and half in the man's lap. Warm breath came up to tickle is his ear, sending pleasant tingles along his nerves, only to be replaced by a cold shiver down his spine at the words whispered in his ear.

"Mmm, I don't think so. This might be interesting." At Ichigo's puzzled looked he laughed.

"I forgot, your ability for sensing others was always your weak point. Concentrate. Don't you feel them approaching?"

Ichigo had no idea what he was talking about, until he actually focused on more than his immediate surroundings. As soon as he did, the overwhelming desire to run overcame him. He could sense three powerful presences heading their way, and they didn't feel happy.

"Four actually. All Captains. The last one is being more cautious." This earned him a resentful glare and childish pout from Ichigo.

"Focus; don't you recognize them?"

Ichigo gave another huff of annoyance at the condescending note in the man's voice, but he did as instructed. He still couldn't sense the fourth individual, but he could recognize Rangiku's Captain. The small Captain's aura was cold, prickling the senses like the feeling of ice brushing against your skin.

Concentrating hard, it took him a few moments to place Zaraki's aura. It had a feral quality to it, and gave of an intense pressure like it was going to crush you, much like the man himself. Ichigo wouldn't mind avoiding a reunion with that particular man.

Ichigo was feeling pretty confident now as he focused on the last approaching presence; he wasn't strong in the area of spiritual awareness, but he successfully managed to identity two of the three that he could sense. The third… he hadn't realized he'd said anything out loud until Hanatarō turned around to look at him quizzically.

One word. One word and everything he had worked for, had struggled to forget—became meaningless, from one single word.

"Byakuya."

OoOoOoOoO

I am just reminded of Inui from PoT; him and his obsession with data XD

A/N: It's been a long time since I've touched this story, or any other of my on-going works for that matter. Sorry for the long wait everyone! It's been difficult, and my creative writing was put to simmer on the back burner. The fact that people still seemed to be reading this story helped to motivate me to grind out another chapter, so thank you all for reviewing!

This chapter was a tough cookie to bake. Not only was I working at this while on the job, my muse seemed to be struggling with inspiration. Then, out of the blue, things just starting flowing onto the paper. If this chapter seems atypical from my previous chapters, I blame it on my unreliable muse. I have also never ventured into the land of lemons either, so I apologize if this has left you sadly disappointed.

Reviews are always welcome, and constructive criticism appreciated. I had to do a lot of re-reading of previous chapters, so I did my best to keep the storyline consistent. This chapter remains un-beta'd and unedited, so please forgive the shoddiness. Enjoyed the story? Please leave a review, it will make me very happy and keep me writing. Hated it and thought it was a waste of your time? Please leave a review so I may improve the areas that are lacking.

A/N: I would like to take a moment to thank my reviewers; your input and support gives me the motivation to keep you reading:

Light is Gay (Your positive reviews have really given me the inspiration to keep writing!), Kera-Izaki, liar-just-a-liar, Girl on the Computer, Shino-chan, Lil Blue J, seasnake.756 rokudaimehokage19, Stoic-Genius (It is always gratifying to see some regular reviewers, and your positive feedback has really kept me going), A.A (another constant review, thank you so much for the support!), Firetender, possessed obsession, Pain au Chocolat,Ice Silverwind (I am find that I am quite dismal at scenic description, but I definitely appreciated your advice), starz4evr, yaoigurl, otakurose16, Gabriella Silverwood, Tsuki of the Roselight, Chinksta, Hyou-kun, waterbooklover.

If I have forgotten anyone, I sincerely apologize! I appreciate all feedback and all reviewers.

A/N: I do have a author's note that I will be trying to get out within the next week. It was put on hold as I worked on this chapter, wanting to get out something for the readers to nibble on. There will be explanations and answers to questions as well! I can't give away everything, but I will try to clear some things out. So, questions welcome :) I can give no promises about the next chapter; my muse is unpredictable and lazy. She has not given up, she just likes to take extended breaks.

Thanks for reading, reviews appreciated!


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